Aflibercept

What it is used for

• Wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD)
• Swelling at the back of the eye caused by diabetes (diabetic macular oedema)
• Swelling caused by a blocked vein in the eye (retinal vein occlusion)
• Abnormal blood vessels caused by severe short-sightedness (myopic choroidal neovascularisation)

Read our guides:

• Macular degeneration

Off-label uses

Doctors sometimes prescribe a medicine for a condition it is not officially licensed for. This is called off-label use. It is legal and common when there is good evidence it helps, and your doctor should explain why they are suggesting it.

Aflibercept is not commonly used off-label.

How it works

In these conditions, a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) makes fragile new blood vessels grow and leak in the back of the eye. Aflibercept traps VEGF, which stops the vessels leaking and growing. This helps protect your sight.

Side effects

Like all medicines, Aflibercept can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. Many are mild and ease after the first few weeks.

Common side effects

• a red or bloodshot eye
• eye pain or discomfort
• floaters or specks in your vision
• blurred vision for a short time after the injection

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if these bother you or do not go away.

Serious side effects

These are rare. Call 111 or contact your doctor straight away if you get:

• eye pain that gets worse, increasing redness, sensitivity to light or worsening vision in the days after an injection, which can be signs of an infection
• sudden loss of vision or flashing lights

Call 999 if you have signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as swelling of your lips, mouth, throat or tongue, or trouble breathing.

You can report any side effect to the Yellow Card scheme, run by the medicines regulator.

Stopping and withdrawal

Important safety information

• Go to eye casualty or call 111 straight away if your eye becomes painful or your vision gets worse after an injection.
• You must not drive straight after an injection because your vision may be blurred.

Questions about your medicine?

A pharmacist can answer questions about your medicines for free, without an appointment. You can also ask your GP for a medication review. Check if you can get free prescriptions.