Patients who receive an injectable drug to treat macular degeneration should be aware of potential Beovu side effects.

Beovu (brolucizumab) is relatively new on the market, having been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in October 2019. Beovu, made by pharmaceutical company Novartis, is injected into the eye to inhibit the human vascular endothelial growth factor known to cause abnormal blood vessel development that contributes to macular degeneration.

However, by June 2020, the FDA approved additional labeling that warns users and physicians of potential Beovu adverse events, including retinal vasculitis and retinal vascular occlusion.

Despite the fact Beovu is designed to improve patients suffering from wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD), the drug itself may induce conditions that negatively impact vision.

Symptoms of Retinal Vasculitis

Patients who have received Beovu injections may experience retinal vasculitis, which is inflammation of the retina. The retina is located near the optic nerve and is responsible for receiving light. The light then sends neural signals to the brain where they are processed as visual recognition.

Sometimes a blockage in a vein causes retinal vasculitis. In these cases, loss of vision or very blurry vision may come on suddenly. In other cases, the retina becomes inflamed over time, causing the patient to experience worsening blurry vision over the course of several days.

Retinal vasculitis may cause pain, blurred vision, or the onset of blind spots. Some patients report seeing floaters, which are usually indicated by seeing uneven clear circles moving over the eye. A change in color interpretation, flashes of light or seeing curvy lines when they are actually straight are other signs of retinal vasculitis.

Symptoms of Retinal Vascular Occlusion

Retinal vascular occlusion is among potential Beovu adverse events. Myriad arteries and veins keep blood moving to and from the eyes, ensuring the retina’s cells receive adequate oxygen and nutrients. An occlusion is a blood clot that forms in one of the blood vessels in the eye.

Symptoms may include a sudden loss of vision because the blood clot causes a buildup of blood that blocks light from reaching the retina. Retinal vascular occlusion is not usually painful.

What Are Other Beovu Adverse Events?

Some patients have reported suffering from endophthalmitis, which is an inflammation of the “whites” in the eye. Although normally caused by an infection, endophthalmitis can be a side effect of Beovu and causes pain in the affected eye, redness, vision problems and increased light sensitivity. Other patients may suffer from a detached retina. While retinal detachment is rare, the condition is an emergency when it occurs because the retina actually peels away from the layer of blood vessels that supply the retina with nutrients and oxygen. Without immediate treatment, retinal detachment can result in permanent blindness.

Prescribing information for Beovu indicates patients may suffer side effects that include the development of cataracts, blurred vision, eye hemorrhaging, or inflamed blood vessels in the eye.

Help for Sufferers of Beovu Side Effects

If you have incurred vision loss, blindness, retinal vascular occlusion or retinal vasculitis after receiving Beovu, your injuries could be a direct result of the medication. If this is the case, you could be eligible for compensation through legal representation.

Novartis is currently under investigation by attorneys due to allegations the company may have hidden some of these serious side effects so that sales would increase upon the drug’s release on the market. In fact, a former Novartis worldwide brand medical director for Beovu has filed a whistleblower lawsuit, alleging she was fired after trying to correct some research statistics that allegedly incorrectly made it appear that a competitor’s drug had double the rates for strokes and heart attacks. She said in actuality, the rate for both drugs was about the same.

The whistleblower lawsuit says the former employee “reasonably believed that Novartis’ failure to disclose material information violated consumer safety laws, was fraudulent or criminal, and/or violated public policy concerning public health, safety, and welfare.”

Consumers may be able to follow in the former Novartis worker’s footsteps by taking legal action against the company. A Beovu eye problem lawsuit could help recover compensation for medical expenses, medication, disability, loss of quality of life, and other injuries stemming from Beovu eye damage. An experienced Beovu lawsuit lawyer can evaluate your case and eligibility.