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What Is Bevacizumab?

Bevacizumab is a medicine that blocks vascular endothelial growth factor, or VEGF, a protein that can drive abnormal blood vessel growth and leakage. It is FDA-approved for several cancers under the name Avastin. Eye doctors also use bevacizumab off label as an injection into the eye for retinal conditions such as wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease. In eye care, it is used to reduce fluid, bleeding, and swelling in the retina.

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What Is Bevacizumab?

Bevacizumab is a medicine that blocks vascular endothelial growth factor, or VEGF, a protein that can drive abnormal blood vessel growth and leakage. It is FDA-approved for several cancers under the name Avastin. Eye doctors also use bevacizumab off label as an injection into the eye for retinal conditions such as wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease. In eye care, it is used to reduce fluid, bleeding, and swelling in the retina.

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How Does Bevacizumab Work?

VEGF helps the body form new blood vessels, but too much VEGF in the eye can cause fragile vessels to grow or leak. Bevacizumab binds to VEGF and blocks its activity. This can reduce retinal swelling and slow damage from leaky abnormal vessels. Because it acts inside the eye, ophthalmologists give it as an intravitreal injection.

Why Is Bevacizumab Used in Eye Care?

Bevacizumab is used in eye care for retinal diseases driven by abnormal blood vessels or fluid leakage. Common uses include wet age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema, diabetic retinopathy, and macular edema from retinal vein occlusion. Its eye use is off label in the United States, which means the drug is approved for other conditions but used by clinicians based on medical evidence and judgment. Patients should receive clear counseling before treatment.

What Happens During Treatment?

Before the injection, the eye is cleaned and numbed to lower discomfort and infection risk. The medicine is placed into the vitreous, the gel-like space inside the eye. Treatment can involve repeated injections because retinal fluid can return when VEGF activity rises again. Follow-up exams and imaging help the eye doctor decide the treatment schedule.

Risks and Safety Considerations

After an injection, temporary irritation, a gritty feeling, floaters, or mild redness can occur. Rare but serious risks include eye infection, retinal detachment, severe inflammation, and a sudden rise in eye pressure. Patients should call an eye doctor right away for worsening pain, increasing redness, sudden vision loss, or new light sensitivity. People with recent stroke, heart attack, or serious clotting history should discuss overall risk with the treating clinician.

FAQs About Bevacizumab

Is bevacizumab the same as Avastin?

Yes, Avastin is the original name for bevacizumab. In eye care, ophthalmologists use bevacizumab as an anti-VEGF injection, even though its FDA approval is for cancer treatment rather than retinal disease.

Is bevacizumab approved for eye injections?

In the United States, bevacizumab is not FDA-approved specifically for eye injections. Its retinal use is off label, but it is widely used by eye specialists for selected retinal conditions.

Does a bevacizumab eye injection hurt?

The eye is numbed before the injection, so most patients feel pressure or brief discomfort rather than strong pain. New or worsening pain after treatment should be reported right away.

How long does bevacizumab treatment last?

Treatment length depends on the retinal condition and response seen on exam and imaging. Some patients need a series of injections, followed by spacing, switching, or stopping based on the eye doctor's plan.

Reference

What Is Avastin? American Academy of Ophthalmology. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/drugs/avastin. Date Accessed June 3, 2026.

Label: AVASTIN Bevacizumab Injection, Solution. DailyMed. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=939b5d1f-9fb2-4499-80ef-0607aa6b114e. Date Accessed June 3, 2026.

Bevacizumab Injection. MedlinePlus Drug Information. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a607001.html. Date Accessed June 3, 2026.

Ranibizumab and bevacizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21526923/. Date Accessed June 3, 2026.

Five-Year Outcomes with Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Treatment of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27156698/. Date Accessed June 3, 2026.