Avastin injections are a common treatment for a few serious eye diseases.  Although Avastin was approved by the FDA for cancer treatment, it is commonly prescribed by eye doctors for off-label purposes. Wet macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease are two of those conditions.

Other injectable treatments for macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease include Lucentis and Eylea. These conditions cause abnormal blood vessels to grow by the retina which can break and bleed. Without any treatment, eventually, a person can lose part or all of their vision.

According to researchers, some patients develop an endophthalmitis infection after Avastin injection. An endophthalmitis infection after Avastin injection is rare. Endophthalmitis is most often contracted with cataract surgery and is commonly caused by streptococcus bacteria that live on human skin. Symptoms of this infection are eye or eyelid redness, inflammation, pain, a decrease in vision, and a yellowy-green discharge from the eye.

Last July, a study looked at approximately 90,339 Avastin injection treatments.  Out of the group, there were 30 thirty confirmed cases of endophthalmitis. On average, there is one infection after Avastin injection for every 3,011 treatments.

Further research surrounding the use of preventative antibiotic eye drops prior to an injection treatment seemed to show that there was no decrease in the cases of endophthalmitis cases when the antibiotic is used.

The Problem of Floaters and Avastin Injections

While the chance of getting an infection after Avastin injection is low, the chance of experiencing what are known as eye floaters is much higher. Eye floaters are caused by small amounts of silicone oil present on the needle, barrel, and plunger of the syringe used to administer the injection by the eye doctor.

Often, the syringes are not made for this type of treatment as the treatment itself is considered “off-label.” The syringes, which have silicone oil on them, are pre-loaded with Avastin by compounding pharmacists and distributed to ophthalmologists to treat patients.

According to researchers, even if the pre-filled syringes were frozen for maximum preservation, it would do nothing to prevent the silicone oil from migrating into the medicine itself. In fact, freezing the drug product may actually encourage this process.

Once in the eye, silicone oil can look like air bubbles to the sufferer. Not only can the appearance of these bubbles be annoying, it is alleged that silicone oil is a contributing factor to numerous cases of glaucoma, hypotony, tearing and detachment of the retina, development or worsening of cataracts, and general pain and inflammation.

Patients who are considering treatment with Avastin or similar eye injection treatment should question their doctor about the source and type of needles used for treatment. Patients should also make sure their doctor uses a reputable compounding pharmacy and should understand the sterile method used to pre-fill the hypodermics.

If you believe you or a loved one may have had their vision damaged by an infection after Avastin injection or other Avastin injection side effects, a product liability lawyer may be able to help you.  Successful lawsuits or settlements can provide those affected with monetary compensation to assist with medical costs and the pain and suffering of those affected.

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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