Avastin, a popular drug used to help fight certain degenerative eye diseases, has been associated with a disturbing and vision-altering side effect. Silicone eye floaters have been connected with the use of Avastin in eye disease patients.

Avastin is a cancer drug that has been found to have successful effects when used with patients with certain eye diseases. Patients with progressive eye diseases such as macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy are often prescribed Avastin injections by their doctors.

Avastin, generically known as bevacizumab, was originally approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a cancer treatment.

Avastin injections can help reduce the amount of abnormal blood vessels in the back of the eye. This aids in the progression of diseases such as macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusion, diabetic macular edema and diabetic retinopathy.

However, the way that Avastin is administered has been known to cause Avastin-induced silicone eye floaters. Avastin is often delivered through an injection with a syringe that has been lubricated with silicone oil. These syringes are prepared in a pharmacy, then delivered to the doctors who perform the procedures.

Unfortunately, this silicone oil has been reportedly finding its way into the actual Avastin medication itself. The silicone lubrication can migrate from the barrel of the syringe, the needle and the plunger into the medication. The longer that a syringe waits after it is filled before it is used with a patient, the greater risk there is that the silicone will travel from the syringe into the medication itself and cause silicone eye floaters.

When this happens, silicone eye floaters can be left in the eyes of patients who receive this treatment.

Other Avastin side effects that these silicone eye floaters have been connected with include inflammation, increased intraocular pressure, infection, tearing of the retina, detachment of the retina, formation of cataracts, increased pressure in the eye (glaucoma) as well as damage to the cornea and vision loss.

Not only are silicone eye floaters a concern for eye disease patients as well as doctors, but the increased risk of infection is also of concern as well.

Because Avastin is a drug that must be administered in very small amounts, the frequency of filling syringes with Avastin is greater than that of other similar drugs. Because of this, the possibility of bacteria entering a syringe is greater. When bacteria enters the syringe and Avastin is injected into the eye of a patient, serious eye infections may occur. Eye infections such as this may cause blindness in some patients and has been known to cause brain damage in at least one patient when infection spread to the brain.

If you have had an Avastin injection for such diseases as macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusion, diabetic macular edema and diabetic retinopathy and have experienced silicone eye floaters, you may be eligible to take legal action.

While monetary compensation may not take away the pain and suffering caused by silicone eye floaters caused by Avastin, it may be able to alleviate medical costs and costs associated with loss of work.

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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