Avastin in ophthalmology: reviews, instructions for use and composition

In medicine, there are cases when the funds developed for the treatment of certain diseases show good results in the therapy of others. This happens as a result of numerous experiments before the drug reaches the consumer. This happened with a drug developed for the treatment of cancer tumors, called Avastin. In ophthalmology, the reviews and the results of the therapy made them think about the purpose and the disease for which it is better to use the drug.

"Avastin"

Loss of vision is one of the most sad companions of man's aging. Until recently, most of the processes inside the eye were difficult to control, but in recent years, ophthalmology made discoveries that prevented the development of visually dangerous diseases in blindness.

For this purpose, preparations of various groups are used, for example, the agent for the treatment of Avastin oncology in ophthalmology is used with great success. The patient's feedback is confirmed by the fact that the drug has a high degree of effectiveness. But in order to understand how effective it is, it is necessary to consider the mechanism of development of the ailments of the eye.

Mechanism of disease development

The loss of vision occurs as a result of pathological proliferation of blood capillaries. Emerging new vessels sprout through the membrane, disrupting the structure of the eye. Moreover, the abundance of blood vessels provokes frequent hemorrhages, which can be felt by a person and affect the quality of vision. Damaged capillaries are scarring, and a large amount of connective tissue disrupts the process of feeding the retina of the eye.

This moment can be considered the starting point of visual impairment. It is important to note that vision with such a development of somatic pathology is not lost completely, since the peripheral usually remains. But nevertheless, the quality of human life falls significantly.

Despite the fact that the picture of the disease looks extremely depressing, with timely diagnosis, pathology can be stopped while retaining vision. For this purpose, Avastin is used in ophthalmology. Reviews of patients and doctors confirm positive statistics.

How the drug works

"Avastin" is an antitumor drug, it has been used in oncology for many years and demonstrates excellent results. The principle of its work is in blocking the process of tissue proliferation, pathological division of cells. Therefore, stopping the growth of new blood vessels, it relieves the very cause of the disease.

For a long time there were doubts as to whether the oncological preparation "Avastin" could make the necessary therapeutic effect in ophthalmology. Reviews of scientists and doctors said that the molecular weight of its active substance is too high: it is about three times the mass of molecules of other drugs with a similar effect. Therefore, in theory, the drug can not overcome the layer of the membrane of the retina, and therefore, have a therapeutic effect.

But, according to studies, "Avastin" perfectly penetrates all layers of the retina, reducing the rate of proliferation of blood capillaries. With timely diagnosis and treatment begun, you can fully preserve your vision.

Side effects

If we consider Avastin, the instructions for use, testimonials and analogues with guidelines for use speak exclusively about the internal reception, which usually occurs in the treatment of cancer. Therefore, the side effects of the drug is as follows:

• Internal bleeding;
• hypertension;
• Disorders in the work of the digestive tract;
• Proteinuria;
• dermatitis;
• Neuropathy;
• asthenia.

The list of side effects when using the drug during treatment is very wide, as with any drug for the treatment of oncology.

Application in ophthalmology

But in this case, the drug is not injected intravenously, but directly into the vitreous. And secondly, the dosage is significantly different from that used for oncology. For example, about 500 mg of the drug is injected intravenously, while in the eye it is only 1.25 mg.

Nevertheless, one side effect of taking Avastin exists: a hemorrhage at the site of injection, a burning sensation and accompanying tear. No serious side effects were identified either in the studies or in practice.

Mode of application

Dosage of 1.25 mg is injected into the vitreous body once a month, or three, or four times. After that, you can evaluate the effect of Avastin in ophthalmology. Patients' responses show that immediately after the course, an increase in visual acuity is noted in 4 out of 10 subjects. In 6 out of 10 people, the course of treatment leads to the stabilization of vision, that is, to a decrease in the rate of progression of capillary overgrowth and scarring.

The effect is that the retina of the eye becomes thinner, that is, its permeability and nutrition of the eye tissues increases. Usually, the patient feels an increase in visual acuity right after the first injection, and subsequent injections only fix the effect. How often it is necessary to repeat injections, depends on the anatomical features of a person. According to statistics, the next injection course is performed in 2-3 months.

Contraindications

The drug is not recommended for children, pregnant women and nursing mothers. Also, with great caution should be used "Avastin" in the event that there are violations of the liver and kidneys, especially the functional failure of these organs.

But you need to take into account the fact that these contraindications are only valid with intravenous administration, and when injecting into the eye they may not have relevance. In any case, the decision on the appointment of Avastin in ophthalmology, which can be obtained from any appropriate clinic, should be made by the attending physician.

However, it should be remembered that with the classical use of the drug, doctors are strongly advised to protect themselves in order to avoid unwanted pregnancies. Using the drug as an agent for eye treatment, it is also necessary to take this information into account when planning family activities.

Analogues

Throughout the world, this method of preserving vision has been used for a long time, but other drugs, such as Macugen and Lucentis, are used for this purpose. But in recent years more and more studies have been conducted, which show that Avastin is very effective in ophthalmology. But until there is information about the remote consequences of using the drug for eye treatment, it will officially remain a drug for the therapy of cancer.

To date, the insert-instruction does not say anything about eye treatment. Therefore, the only source of information about the use of Avastin in ophthalmology is feedback. The price of the drug is quite loyal, which makes it more affordable than analogues.

The term "analogue" usually means a drug that has a similar composition, the same active substance. There are no such drugs on the market of Russian pharmaceutical products, which can be determined by comparing the formulations, having studied the documents to which the instructions for use applied to the Avastin preparation apply. Analogues, the price of which ranges from affordable to quite expensive, have a similar list of indications. But a similar mechanism of influence is due to other components.

To such preparations which can be found in any drugstore, concern:

• "Arzerra".
• "Acellbia".
• "Vectibix".
• "Herceptin lyophilizate."
• Herceptin.
• "Campas".
• "MabThera."
• "Perieta".
• Removab.
• "Rituximab."
• Erbitux.

Legitimacy of the application

Official medicine today does not recommend the use of Avastin in ophthalmology. Patients' reviews are often positive, but there is also a significant degree of risk that you need to know about.

There is a controversy related to the drug Avastin: instructions for use in ophthalmology (feedback from scientists and other sources, too) does not allow the use of funds in the treatment of the eye. The manufacturer of the drug officially declares that neither the original nor the generic version of the drug "Bevacizumab", produced in Russia, should not be used in ophthalmology. Confirmation of this information can be found on the website of Roszdravnadzor.

But on certain resources, for example, on sites dedicated to ophthalmology, you can often find information that the drug is very effective for eye diseases. This is due to the fact that scientific research on the use of this drug has been and continues to be conducted, showing good results. However, before the full safety of the drug is proved against the background of its high effectiveness, the instruction will not include the relevant information in the section "Indications for Use".

Use cases

In this regard, "Avastin" is used only in cases of extreme necessity, when the alternative is complete loss of vision. At the conducted experiment in one of the clinics of Russia it was revealed that the injection of Avastin did not lead to serious consequences, did not worsen vision and did not lead to blindness. But patients complained of tearing and burning in the eye area.

Thus, Avastin is a highly effective drug for the treatment of oncological tumors. The practice, according to which Avastin began to take on ophthalmology, reviews patients mainly positive. But with the possibility of choice, it is necessary to resort to using only those drugs that are designed specifically to solve a particular problem, especially in the pharmaceutical market, there are already special drugs that can reduce the progression of diabetic retinopathy, wet form of macular degeneration.

Therefore, "Avastin" can only be used in the most extreme cases under the close supervision of a doctor.