Patients who recently received an Avastin eye injection are being warned of potential complications that may develop from silicone oil that may have been in the needle.

Recent reports have indicated permanent eyesight damage could incur from an improperly prepared Avastin eye injection, in which silicone oil may intermix with the drug or leak into the patient’s eye. When silicone oil enters the patient’s eye, it can cause Avastin floaters to develop and can lead to chronic eyesight problems and potentially an infection.

Officially approved by the FDA to treat certain cancers, Avastin (bevacizumab) is a popular chemotherapy drug that works by inhibiting the growth of abnormal blood vessels.

This treatment mechanism has made Avastin eye injection a popular off-label treatment option for certain eyesight conditions. Avastin eye injection treatments are recommended for patients suffering from:

• Macular Degeneration
• Retinal Vein Occlusion
• Diabetic Macular Edema
• Diabetic Retinopathy

Avastin eye injection treatments have recently come under fire for allegedly causing moderate to serious eye problems for patients. While there are a number of contributing factors that could increase the chances of post-procedure complications, the main problems are suspected to come from the preparation process of the needle. In addition to the Avastin eye injection preparation process, it has been pointed out that this drug has not received FDA approval for this treatment purpose, and the injection syringes used may not be intended for use in eyes.

Overview of Avastin Eye Injection Complications

Avastin eye injections are prepared by compound pharmacists, then are sent to ophthalmologists to prescribe to patients. Silicone oil is utilized to lubricate the syringe, but this can cause major problems even before the drug has been administered.

If left unused for too long, the silicone oil can intermix with Avastin and can then enter the patient’s eyes during the injection. The longer the prepared Avastin eye injection remains unused, the greater the chances complications may develop. Risks further increase when Avastin has been frozen during storage. Compound pharmacists may freeze these injections for shipping and preservation.

Eye-related complications include:

• Increased Intraocular Pressure
• Inflammation
• Infection (Endophthalmitis)
• Retinal Tearing
• Retinal Detachment
• Cataract Formation
• Glaucoma (increased pressure in the eye)
• Hypotony (reduced pressure in the eye)
• Corneal Damage
• Vision Loss or Blindness

Patients who receive an Avastin eye injection should be vigilant for any signs of eye floaters, which may look like air bubbles in the eyes. If eye floaters develop, patients should report the symptoms to their physician as soon as possible to minimize potential damage.

Bacterial infections have also been reported in conjunction with Avastin eye injection, with two cases reported in 2011 in Florida and Tennessee. One of these patients reportedly developed brain damage due to the infection spreading to his brain, while the other patient became completely blind. These reported bacteria infections spurred a recall of Avastin eye injection syringes from certain compound pharmacies, where the bacterial contamination allegedly occurred.

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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