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Eylea and Eylea HD

Pronunciation: EYE-lee-AH
Generic name: aflibercept ophthalmic
Brand names: Eylea, Eylea HD
Dosage forms: single-dose pre-filled syringe for ophthalmic injection, single-dose vial for ophthalmic injection.
Drug class: Anti-angiogenic ophthalmic agents

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Aug 23, 2023.

What is Eylea and Eylea HD?

Eylea is an injectable eye preparation that is given by a healthcare provider every one to two months that may be used to treat the following conditions:

Eylea HD is a higher dose longer-acting injectable form of aflibercept that only needs to be given once every 2 to 4 months after an initial dosing period. This allows patients to receive less frequent injections for similar visual gains, and anatomic improvements, without an increased risk of side effects. Eylea HD is approved to treat:

The active ingredient in Eylea and Eylea HD, aflibercept, is a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor that is made from a human antibody fragment. It works by keeping new blood vessels from forming under the retina (a sensory membrane that lines the inside of the eye).

Eylea was first approved on November 18, 2011, and Eylea HD was first approved on August 18, 2023.

Warnings

You should not use Eylea or Eylea HD if you are allergic to aflibercept, if you have swelling or redness inside your eyes, or any type of infection (bacterial, fungal, viral) in or around your eyes.

There is a possibility that endophthalmitis (a serious inflammation of the intraocular fluids, usually due to infection) and retinal detachments may occur following intravitreal injections. Call your doctor at once if you have eye pain or redness, swelling or puffiness around your eyes, sensitivity to light, or sudden vision problems at any time during treatment. Arterial thromboembolic events are also possible following intravitreal VEGF inhibitor injections.

Increases in intraocular pressure have been seen within 60 minutes of an intravitreal injection.

Infants with ROP may need extended periods of monitoring after injections with Eylea.

Temporary visual disturbances may occur following an intravitreal injection with Eylea or Eylea HD, or the associated eye examinations. Do not drive or operate machinery until your vision recovers.

Before using Eylea or Eylea HD

You should not use Eylea or Eylea HD if you are allergic to aflibercept, or if you have:

To make sure this medicine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using Eylea or Eylea HD. Use effective birth control to prevent pregnancy before your first dose of this medicine. Keep using birth control during treatment and for at least 3 months after your last Eylea injection, or 4 months after your last Eylea HD injection.

Do not breastfeed while you are using Eylea or Eylea HD.

How is Eylea or Eylea HD given?

Eylea and Eylea HD are given as an injection into your eye. Your doctor will use a medicine to numb your eye before giving you the injection. You will receive this injection in your doctor's office or other clinic setting.

For a short time after your injection, your eyes will be checked periodically to make sure the injection has not caused any side effects.

Dosage for Eylea

Eylea is usually administered every 4 weeks (approximately every 28 days, monthly) initially, which may be extended to once every 8 weeks (2 months), depending on the condition. In some patients, treatment may be extended to one dose every 12 weeks, although this is not as effective as the recommended every 8-week dosing. Follow your doctor's dosing instructions very carefully.

The dosage for ROP is 0.4 mg (0.01 mL or 10 microliters) administered by intravitreal injection. Treatment may be given to both eyes on the same day and repeated if needed.  The treatment interval between doses injected into the same eye should be at least 10 days.

Dosage for Eylea HD

Eylea HD is usually administered every 4 weeks (approximately every 28 days +/- 7 days) for the first 3 months, then once every 8 to 12 weeks for DR or 8 to 16 weeks for wAMD and DME.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Call your doctor for instructions if you miss an appointment for your Eylea or Eylea HD injection.

What happens if I overdose?

An overdose is unlikely because Eylea and Eylea HD are administered by healthcare professionals. Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

What should I avoid?

Eylea or Eylea HD may cause blurred vision and may impair your reactions. Avoid driving or hazardous activity until you know how this medicine will affect you.

Eylea and Eylea HD side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any signs of an allergic reaction to Eylea or Eylea HD: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your eyes, face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

Less serious Eylea or Eylea HD side effects may include:

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect Eylea or Eylea HD?

It is not likely that other drugs you take orally or inject will have an effect on Eylea or Eylea HD used in the eyes. But many drugs can interact with each other. Tell your doctor about all medicines you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

Storage

Store Eylea and Eylea HD in the refrigerator at 2°C to 8°C (36°F to 46°F). Do not freeze. Do not use it beyond the date stamped on the carton and container label. Store in the original carton until time of use to protect from light.

Ingredients

Eylea injections 2mg/0.05mL are available as a single-dose pre-filled syringe or a single-dose vial.

Eylea HD injections 8 mg (0.07 mL of 114.3 mg/mL solution) are available as a single-dose vial.

Manufacturer

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Popular FAQ

Vabysmo (faricimab) targets vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietin-1, whereas Eylea (afibercept) targets VEGF and placental growth factor (P1GF). Both agents are used to treat conditions such as macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic macular edema and are given by intravitreal injection (into the gel part of the eye). Continue reading

Eylea, Eylea HD, and Avastin may all be used to treat neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), as injections into the eye (intravitreal injections). Both Eylea and Eylea HD are FDA-approved for this indication, but use of Avastin is off-label (not an FDA-approved indication - although it has been used for this purpose since 2005). Eylea HD is a longer acting version of Eylea. Continue reading

Anti-VEGF drugs slow the abnormal growth of blood vessels associated with certain cancers and degenerative eye conditions, such as age-related macular degeneration. Anti-VEGF stands for anti-vascular endothelial growth factor. Continue reading

Eylea and Eylea HD usually work within 3 months, with some people noticing improvements in as little as one month of treatment, depending on the condition being treated. For some conditions, it may take up to 6 months before a significant difference is seen.  Continue reading

Eylea and Eylea HD injections into the eye (intravitreal) are associated with a substantial but temporary increase in blood pressure in some patients. Increases in intraocular pressure (the pressure inside the eye) have also been seen within 60 minutes of an injection of Eylea or Eylea HD. Continue reading

Eylea patents are due to run out from 2023 to 2039; however, these should not be taken as definite dates as there are many ways drug companies can extend their patents, for example, by changing the formulation of their product. A new Eylea HD patent, US11103552B2 which relates to high concentration VEGF receptor fusion protein containing formulations, has a patent expiry date of 15 May 2039. Continue reading

Eylea HD is a higher dose, longer-acting formulation of Eylea that has been approved to treat Neovascular (Wet) Age-Related Macular Degeneration (wAMD), Diabetic Macular Edema (DME), and Diabetic Retinopathy (DR). Eylea is approved to treat these conditions in addition to Macular Edema Following Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO) and Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP). Continue reading

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Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.