Eylea® (aflibercept) Intravitreal Injection for Wet AMD and DME

What Eylea® Is and How It Works

Eylea (aflibercept) is an intravitreal anti-VEGF eye medicine used to treat neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), diabetic retinopathy (DR), macular edema following retinal vein occlusion (RVO), and myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV). It is given as an injection into the eye by a retina specialist. Eylea binds vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A) and placental growth factor to reduce abnormal blood vessel growth and retinal fluid.

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Eylea uses include initial monthly dosing followed by maintenance at longer intervals. The approved Eylea dose for most adults is 2 mg per injection. A high dose Eylea option, Eylea 8 mg (often called Eylea HD), is FDA approved for wet AMD and DME and may allow longer intervals after loading doses. Labels may differ by region; check FDA Eylea and EMA specifics if applicable. Bayer Eylea is the brand in many markets in partnership with Regeneron.

Mechanism: aflibercept is a recombinant fusion protein that traps VEGF, lowering leakage and neovascular activity. This helps stabilize or improve vision in eligible patients. Treatment plans are individualized by the eye care team.

Dosage and Usage

• Initiation (wet AMD): 2 mg every 4 weeks for the first 3 injections, then generally every 8 weeks. Some patients continue monthly if needed.
• Initiation (DME/DR): often 2 mg every 4 weeks for 5 doses, then every 8 weeks. Treat-and-extend schedules are used based on disease control.
• RVO-related macular edema: 2 mg every 4 weeks until the condition is stable, then extend as directed by the specialist.
• High dose Eylea 8 mg (where available): three monthly doses, then extend to 8, 12, or 16 weeks based on response and label guidance.
• Administration: intravitreal injection by a qualified ophthalmologist under aseptic conditions. Single-use vial or prefilled syringe; do not share between eyes.
• Missed injection: contact the treating eye clinic promptly to reschedule. The plan may adjust to maintain disease control.
• After injection: vision may be blurry temporarily. The specialist monitors intraocular pressure and retinal status after each dose.

• Storage: keep Eylea refrigerated at 2–8 °C (36–46 °F) in the original carton. Protect from light. Do not freeze. Do not shake.
• Handling: single-use only. Inspect for particles or discoloration before use; do not use if compromised. Discard any unused portion.
• Travel: use an insulated cooler with cold packs. Avoid direct contact of the syringe or vial with ice. Keep upright and protected from light.
• Temperature control: maintain 2–8 °C during transport. Do not refreeze product that has warmed. Keep out of reach of children.
• Receiving shipment: you get prompt, express, cold-chain shipping. Place into a refrigerator as soon as the package is opened.

Benefits and Savings

Eylea medicine reduces retinal fluid and leakage, helping preserve central vision in wet AMD. Many patients gain letters on vision charts within the first few months as the dosing stabilizes. In DME and DR, Eylea treatment can improve edema and reduce the risk of vision loss. In RVO, regular injections help resolve macular swelling.

Flexible schedules such as treat-and-extend can reduce clinic visits while maintaining disease control. Eylea 8 mg offers an option to lengthen intervals in selected patients after loading. This may lower the number of annual injections compared with fixed monthly dosing when appropriate.

Ordering from YouDrugstore may provide 60–80% savings versus typical US prices, helping lower the Eylea annual cost for ongoing therapy. You can set gentle reorder reminders, and multi-month supplies or bulk promotions can reduce your per-month expense when your prescription allows.

Side Effects and Safety

• Common, usually transient: eye pain or discomfort, mild conjunctival hemorrhage, foreign body sensation, floaters, mild increased intraocular pressure after injection.
• Less common: blurred vision, corneal abrasion, eyelid swelling, tearing, photophobia.
• Injection-site or intraocular inflammation can occur.

Serious risks are uncommon but include endophthalmitis, retinal detachment or tear, sustained intraocular pressure rise, and arterial thromboembolic events (e.g., stroke). Contraindications include active ocular or periocular infection and active intraocular inflammation, and hypersensitivity to aflibercept. Aflibercept warnings also include potential fetal risk; discuss pregnancy planning with the prescriber. Concomitant use with other anti-VEGF therapies is not recommended.

Onset Time

Many patients show reduced retinal fluid within the first 1–3 injections. Vision gains often begin in the first month and continue over the initial 8–12 weeks, then stabilize with maintenance dosing. For DME and DR, edema reduction may take several months of regular treatment. The timeline varies by diagnosis, baseline vision, and response.

Compare With Alternatives

Ranibizumab (Lucentis) is another anti-VEGF with similar indications. It is dosed monthly initially, with options to extend based on disease activity. Some clinics prefer ranibizumab in specific scenarios, such as prior inflammation history.

Beovu® Pre Filled Syringe (brolucizumab) allows longer intervals for certain patients, but cases of intraocular inflammation and retinal vasculitis have been reported. Specialists weigh benefits and risks against aflibercept when choosing therapy.

Faricimab (Vabysmo) targets VEGF-A and angiopoietin-2. It has data supporting 12–16 week intervals in selected patients. Availability and payer coverage vary by region. Your retina specialist will tailor the plan to your eye findings, preferences, and response.

For background on vision changes and treatment goals, see our condition page on Age Related Macular Degeneration.

Combination Therapy

• Anti-VEGF plus focal/grid laser for select DME cases to maintain control and reduce injection burden.
• Anti-VEGF with panretinal photocoagulation for proliferative DR, timed to protect macular function.
• Photodynamic therapy (PDT) may be considered in rare, refractory AMD patterns when guided by imaging.
• When combining with insulin or sulfonylureas for diabetes, no direct interaction is expected, but hypoglycemia risk is related to systemic agents; dose adjustments of those drugs may be considered by the prescriber.

Patient Suitability and Cost-Saving Tips

Candidates include adults with neovascular AMD, center-involved DME, vision-threatening DR, macular edema from RVO, or myopic CNV confirmed by imaging. Those with active ocular infection, significant intraocular inflammation, or known hypersensitivity to aflibercept should not receive aflibercept injections.

Precautions include recent stroke or heart attack, uncontrolled glaucoma, pregnancy or breastfeeding, and bilateral same-day dosing. Discuss timing, risks, and benefits with the treating specialist. Post-injection monitoring is important to detect rare complications early.

To manage costs, you can:

– Schedule reorder reminders before your next clinic visit.
– Ask your prescriber about multi-month quantities if appropriate for your plan.
– Combine items in one shipment when possible to reduce fees.
– Coordinate shipping dates around holidays, and use your account to track deliveries.

Authoritative Sources

Regeneron product information for Eylea (aflibercept)

Health Canada Product Monograph: Eylea (aflibercept)

FDA Prescribing Information for Eylea

Order Eylea® from YouDrugstore: add to cart, upload your prescription, and we ship with prompt, express, cold-chain handling.

This material is educational and does not replace advice from your eye care professional. Always follow the treatment plan and safety guidance provided by your clinician and product labeling.