Eylea (aflibercept) is a brand-name prescription medication. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved it to treat:

Eylea is typically prescribed as a long-term treatment.

Here are some fast facts about Eylea:

  • Active ingredient: aflibercept, which is a biologic
  • Drug class: vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor
  • How it’s given: intravitreal injection (injection into the eye) by a healthcare professional

As with other drugs, Eylea eye injections can cause side effects. Read on to learn about potential common, mild, and serious side effects. For a general overview of Eylea, including details about its uses, see this article.

Eylea injections (shots) can cause certain side effects, some of which are more common than others. These side effects may be temporary, lasting a few days to weeks. However, if the side effects last longer than that, bother you, or become severe, be sure to talk with your eye doctor or pharmacist.

These are just a few of the more common side effects reported by people who received Eylea in clinical trials:

* For more information about this side effect, see “Side effect specifics” below.

Mild side effects can occur with Eylea injections (shots). This list doesn’t include all possible mild side effects of the drug. For more information, you can refer to Eylea’s prescribing information.

Mild side effects that have been reported with Eylea include:

These side effects may be temporary, lasting a few days to weeks. However, if the side effects last longer than that, bother you, or become severe, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Note: After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks side effects of the medication. If you develop a side effect while taking Eylea and want to tell the FDA about it, visit MedWatch.

* For more information about this side effect, see “Side effect specifics” below.

Eylea may cause serious side effects. Clinical trials showed that serious side effects from Eylea are rare. The list below may not include all possible serious side effects of the drug. For more information, you can refer to Eylea’s prescribing information.

If you develop serious side effects while taking Eylea, call your doctor right away. If the side effects seem life threatening or you think you’re having a medical emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.

Serious side effects that have been reported and their symptoms include:

* For more information about this side effect, see “Side effect specifics” below.
† An allergic reaction is possible after using Eylea. However, it’s not clear whether this side effect occurred in clinical trials. To learn more, see the “Side effect specifics” section below.

Eylea may cause several side effects. Here are some frequently asked questions about the drug’s side effects and their answers.

What are the long-term side effects of Eylea injections?

Some long-term side effects of Eylea can include:

You may have a greater risk of long-term side effects as you continue to receive doses of Eylea. However, your doctor will monitor you for symptoms of long-term side effects after each dose.

Talk with your doctor for more information about long-term side effects during Eylea treatment.

* For more information about this side effect, see “Side effect specifics” below.

Does Eylea cause any systemic side effects?

Yes, Eylea can cause systemic side effects. (A systemic side effect is something that can affect your entire body.) Systemic side effects reported in Eylea’s clinical trials included blood clots and stroke. However, these side effects were rare.

Eylea mostly causes local side effects in your eye. (A local side effect is something that affects a specific area where the injection was given.) Local side effects include eye pain, blurry vision, and eye floaters.

If you have concerns about systemic side effects from Eylea, talk with your eye doctor.

Learn more about some of the side effects that Eylea may cause. To find out how often side effects occurred in clinical trials, see the prescribing information for Eylea.

Blurry vision

It’s possible to experience blurry vision during treatment with Eylea. In clinical trials, blurry vision was a common side effect after receiving Eylea injections.

Blurry vision after your dose is typically temporary and should go away on its own after a few days. In rare cases, blurry vision can also be a symptom of serious side effects.

What you can do

Talk with your doctor if you notice blurry vision after your Eylea injection. It’s especially important to contact your doctor if the blurry vision persists or worsens after a few days. Your doctor will evaluate your symptoms to check for any serious side effects. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery if you experience blurry vison during Eylea treatment.

Eye pain

It’s possible to experience eye pain after an Eylea injection. In clinical trials, eye pain was a common side effect after receiving an injection. The reported eye pain was mild and typically went away on its own after a while. However, eye pain can also be a symptom of a more serious condition, such as an eye infection or cataracts.

What you can do

Talk with your doctor if you have eye pain that won’t go away on its own. If eye pain occurs with other symptoms, you may be experiencing a more serious side effect. These symptoms can include blurry vision, light sensitivity, and double vision. Your doctor will assess your symptoms and recommend the best course of action.

Cataracts

It’s possible to develop cataracts during treatment with Eylea. Cataracts refer to when the lens in one or both eyes becomes cloudy. In clinical trials, cataracts were a common side effect of Eylea. Without treatment, cataracts can lead to vision loss.

Symptoms of cataracts may include:

What you can do

Talk with your doctor if you feel like you may be experiencing symptoms of cataracts. Your doctor will assess how severe your cataracts are and recommend the best treatment option. Mild symptoms can be managed with eyeglasses. Your doctor may recommend cataract surgery for severe symptoms or large cataracts. Surgery is the only way to treat cataracts.

Increased eye pressure

It’s possible to experience increased eye pressure during Eylea treatment. Increased eye pressure typically occurs within 60 minutes after receiving an Eylea injection. In clinical trials, this side effect was common and typically went away on its own.

Symptoms of increased eye pressure can include:

What you can do

Talk with your doctor if you notice increased eye pressure after your Eylea injections. Let your doctor know if you feel as if the pressure in your eyes takes longer than usual to go away after your dose. This could be a symptom of a more serious side effect, such as one leading to vision loss. Your doctor may monitor the pressure in your eyes after each dose to reduce the risk of long-term side effects.

Endophthalmitis

Endophthalmitis is an inflammation of tissues or fluids in the eye due to infection. It’s possible to experience this side effect while receiving Eylea injections. In clinical trials, this inflammation was rare. However, it does require immediate medical treatment. Symptoms of endophthalmitis can include:

What you can do

Call your doctor right away if you’re experiencing the above symptoms. If you think you’re having a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number. Your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic or antifungal medication such as Vigamox (moxifloxacin) or Diflucan (fluconazole), depending on the type of infection.

Your doctor will administer your Eylea injections using a sterile technique to reduce the risk of this eye infection.

Allergic reaction

As with most drugs, Eylea can cause an allergic reaction in some people. However, it’s not clear whether this occurred in clinical trials.

Symptoms can be mild or serious and can include:

  • skin rash
  • itching
  • flushing
  • swelling under your skin, typically in your eyelids, lips, hands, or feet
  • swelling of your mouth, tongue, or throat, which can make it hard to breathe

What you can do

For mild symptoms of an allergic reaction, call your doctor right away. They may recommend ways to ease your symptoms and determine whether you can keep receiving Eylea injections. However, if your symptoms are serious and you think you’re having a medical emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.

Be sure to talk with your doctor about your health history before starting treatment with Eylea. This drug may not be the right treatment for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. These are considered drug-condition or drug-factor interactions. The conditions and factors to consider include:

Eye infection. Eylea may be harmful to use if you have an untreated eye infection or are currently being treated for an eye infection. Your doctor will likely not prescribe the drug if you have an eye infection. Typically, they’ll want to treat your eye infection before starting treatment with Eylea.

Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Eylea or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Eylea. Ask your doctor what other medications may be better options for you.

Eye inflammation. Eylea may be harmful if you have inflammation in your iris or your eye’s ciliary body structures. Your doctor will likely not prescribe Eylea if you have eye inflammation. However, other treatment options may be available for your condition.

History of blood clots. Eylea may increase the risk of blood clots and stroke. If you have a history of blood clots or stroke, tell your doctor before starting Eylea. They will likely not prescribe Eylea if you have a history of blood clots or have had a stroke. However, other treatment options may be available to treat your condition.

Glaucoma. Eylea can worsen glaucoma by further increasing the pressure in your eye. Before starting Eylea treatment, tell your doctor if you have a history of glaucoma. They will likely not prescribe Eylea if you have a history of glaucoma. However, other treatment options may be available for your condition.

Infants. Infants with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) may need additional treatment and monitoring during treatment with Eylea. ROP is an eye condition caused by unusual blood vessel growth in the retinas of certain infants. Specifically, it can occur in infants born prematurely or with a very low birth weight.

To treat ROP, it’s important to regrow the eye’s blood vessels properly. So, your child’s eye doctor will likely want to closely monitor this growth. They can discuss the treatment plan with you in detail and answer any questions you may have.

Alcohol with Eylea

It’s not known whether Eylea is safe to use with alcohol. However, both alcohol consumption and Eylea can cause blurry vision, red eyes, and an increased risk of stroke. Drinking alcohol during Eylea treatment can increase your risk of these side effects.

If you drink alcohol, your doctor can advise you on how much of it, if any, is safe to consume during treatment with Eylea.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding while taking Eylea

It’s not known whether it’s safe to use Eylea during pregnancy. In animal studies, Eylea administered to pregnant animals caused fetal harm. However, animal studies don’t always predict what will happen with humans.

Talk with your doctor if you’re pregnant or can become pregnant while using Eylea. They can discuss the risks and benefits of using Eylea during pregnancy. However, they may recommend that you do not use Eylea during pregnancy.

Your doctor will likely not recommend using Eylea while you’re breastfeeding. There are no clinical trials regarding safety of Eylea while breastfeeding.

If you’re breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed during Eylea treatment, talk with your doctor. They can discuss the risks and benefits of using Eylea while breastfeeding.

If you’re receiving Eylea injections, it’s possible to experience side effects. Most side effects are mild and will go away on their own with time. However, serious side effects can also occur during treatment with Eylea. If you’re experiencing symptoms of severe side effects while receiving Eylea injections, talk with your doctor right away.

If you’d like to learn more about Eylea or its side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can help answer any questions you have about side effects from receiving the drug.

Besides talking with your doctor, you can do some research on your own. These articles might help:

  • More information about Eylea. For details about other aspects of Eylea, refer to this article.
  • Drug comparison. Learn how Eylea compares with Avastin and Lucentis.
  • A look at your condition. For details about your condition, see our eye health hub.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.