What is Vabysmo?
Vabysmo (faricimab-svoa) is a prescription medicine given by injection into the eye used to treat adults with neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), and macular edema following retinal vein occlusion (RVO).
How does Vabysmo work?
Vabysmo is a type of drug called a dual vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) inhibitor. VEGF and Ang-2 are types of proteins that contribute to edema in the eye in people with AMD or DME. Vabysmo’s mechanism of action (how it works) is to block the action of VEGF and Ang-2.
Indications for Vabysmo
Vabysmo can be used to treat the following eye conditions:
- Neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
- Diabetic macular edema (DME)
- Macular edema following retinal vein occlusion (RVO)
Preparation for Vabysmo Injection
You must inform your doctor about:
- Medications or vitamins you are currently taking as certain medications may interact with Lucentis and cause eye problems
- Allergies to medications
- Health conditions such as uncontrolled hypertension or eye infections
Vabysmo Treatment Procedure
The Vabysmo injection procedure involves the following steps:
- You will be seated in a comfortable semi-reclined position in a chair.
- Your eye will be cleaned to prevent infection.
- Your face and the area around the eye will be draped to maintain sterile conditions.
- Pain-relieving eye drops will be administered to numb the eye.
- A device may be placed to keep your eyelids open.
- The Vabysmo injection will be administered into the white portion of your eyeball, also known as the sclera. The injection takes 15-20 seconds and most patients do not feel pain during the procedure.
- Your eyesight will be assessed post-injection and antibiotic drops may be given, after which the drapes are removed.
Post-Operative Care after Vabysmo Treatment
- You may be provided with antibiotic eye drops that you should use for 3-4 days to prevent infection.
- Avoid swimming or getting water into your eyes for a couple of days after the injection.
- There may be a slight discomfort, redness, and ‘floaters’ in the eye which will go away on its own in a few days.
- Most patients require a course of 6 Vabysmo injections administered at 4-week intervals to obtain maximum benefit.
Risks & Side-effects of Vabysmo Treatment
Vabysmo injections are safe; however, there is a minimal risk of complications that include:
- Eye infection
- Seeing ‘floaters’
- Eye pain
- Increased eye pressure
- Eye redness
- Light sensitivity
Benefits of Vabysmo Treatment
Timely treatment with Lucentis injections can improve central detailed vision making it easier for patients with certain eye conditions to read, watch TV, and recognise faces.
On average, people gained and maintained 6 letters on an eye chart over 1 year with Vabysmo. Even greater results of at least 15 letters were achieved by 20% of people taking Vabysmo.
