Are you seeing a black spot after eye injection treatment with Avastin? This evidently is not an unusual experience for those being treated with this cancer drug turned ophthalmic wonder cure when used in an off-label fashion by physicians.

Physicians often appropriate certain medications for conditions other than what the drug has been approved for by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This is a permissible practice, considered a matter within the physician’s professional discretion.

Such is the case with ophthalmological applications of Avastin, a now commonly used off-label treatment for macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema, diabetic retinopathy, and retinal vein occlusion.

Seeing a black spot after eye injection treatment with Avastin has nothing to do with the drug in its purest state, however. The cause of the field of vision issue has its origins with the syringes used to administer the drug to the eye itself.

The syringes are generally filled by pharmacists at compounding pharmacies, which creates a possibility of contamination. There may also be a significant lag of time between when a syringe is filled and when it is utilized in treatment. Any extra time the syringe spends in storage increases the chance that the silicone oil used to lubricate the syringe may contaminate the medication itself.

The syringes used for Avastin eye injections may not be designed for eye applications. They may sometimes have coatings of silicone oil on the needle, barrel and plunger, no matter how minute.

It is this silicone oil that has been implicated in causing people to see a black spot after eye injection treatment or see what are commonly called “floaters” in the field of vision.

The silicone oil may have generally found its way into the drug between the filling of the syringe and its usage which can be a few weeks. The chances of silicone oil contamination are reportedly increased if the syringe is frozen before use.

Seeing a black spot after eye injection can lead to other problems which can be more significant than the “floater” itself. Some of these reported problems are early formation of a cataract, glaucoma, retinal tearing and even detachment, swelling and infection, corneal damage, hypotony or increased intraocular pressure, and even partial or full loss of sight.

Despite the risks of seeing a black spot after eye injection with the drug and the other problems that can develop because of them, Avastin itself can be a very effective treatment for a lot of eye conditions.

A lot of eye conditions develop because of abnormal blood vessel overgrowth at the back of the eye. For this overgrowth of blood vessels to continue unabated, the body relies upon a chemical known as VEGF. Avastin blocks the production of VEGF, which retards further development of the blood vessels in the area. The most common eye conditions treated with Avastin are wet age-related macular degeneration and macular edema or swelling of the retinal area.

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or Avastin silicone injection class action lawsuit is best for you. [In general, Avastin lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.] Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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