Avastin, an effective cancer medication, has also been used to help people with eye diseases like macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy. However, after patients have complained of vision floaters after Avastin injection procedures, doctors and researchers have paid closer attention.

Avastin, generically known as bevacizumab, is a drug that is approved for use with certain cancers. Doctors found that the drug inhibits the growth of abnormal blood vessels, and so it has been used off-label to help treat eye diseases like wet macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusion, diabetic macular edema and diabetic retinopathy.

To slow the loss of vision, doctors inject Avastin directly into the eye near the retina. Avastin works with eye diseases by inhibiting the production of a body chemical called VEGF. When VEGF is not produced, the abnormal blood vessels present with these eye conditions cannot grow.

Avastin is often preferable to both doctors and patients because it is far cheaper than other drugs used to accomplish the same purpose. However, Avastin has been connected with certain side effects such as vision floaters after Avastin injection procedures that other drugs do not seem to have.

Lucentis, a drug that has a similar mode of action but is actually approved for the treatment of macular degeneration, is very expensive. Avastin, reportedly, only costs $50 per injection, while Lucentis costs upwards of $2,000 per injection. Avastin and Lucentis are made by the same company, Genentech.

The problem with Avastin, however, is that it must be split up into tiny doses. That means more injections, which introduce more of a risk for bacterial infection.

Additionally, there is another concerning problem for Avastin patients. Avastin is a drug that is administered via injection into a patient’s eye. Pharmacists place Avastin into syringes which are then given to ophthalmologist to administer to patients. The syringes that are used for this purpose are coated with silicone oil.

Unfortunately, this silicone oil can leak into the drug itself, and when Avastin is injected into a patient’s eye, traces of silicone oil may be injected as well. This has been known to cause vision floaters after Avastin injection procedures.

The risk of floaters after Avastin injection procedures is increased the longer time that passes between when the syringe is filled and when the ophthalmologist administers the drug to the patient. Additionally, if the syringe is placed in a freezer, this risk increases even more.

Silicone oil floaters after Avastin injection procedures can create additional problems such as infection, inflammation, cataracts, glaucoma, corneal damage or permanent vision loss.

In addition to vision floaters after Avastin injection procedures and bacterial infection, other Avastin eye injection side effects include detached retina, cataracts, redness in the eye, light sensitivity, pain in the eye, vision changes, blurriness, double vision or dry and itchy eyes.

A study published by JAMA Ophthalmology studied 60 patients who experienced silicone droplets from Avastin injections. Of those 60 patients, 41 experienced floaters after Avastin injection procedures.

If you or someone you love has suffered from vision floaters after Avastin injection procedures, you may benefit from speaking to an attorney experienced in cases such as this. An attorney may be able help you decide if you qualify to file an Avastin lawsuit.

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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