An anti-VEGF eye injection
Brolucizumab
An injection into the eye for wet AMD that carries a recognised risk of eye inflammation, including retinal vasculitis.
What is Brolucizumab?
Brolucizumab is an anti-VEGF medicine injected into the eye to treat wet age-related macular degeneration, where fragile, leaky blood vessels damage central vision. It is given by an eye specialist in a clean clinic. Compared with some other anti-VEGF injections, it carries a recognised risk of inflammation inside the eye, including inflammation of the retinal blood vessels (retinal vasculitis), which can threaten sight. For this reason, any eye redness, pain or change in vision after an injection must be reported promptly so it can be checked quickly.
Education and reference only. This is a plain-language guide to Brolucizumab — it deliberately contains no doses. Doses depend on the person, the brand and the reason for treatment, and belong with your prescriber. Always check the BNF, the product labelling (SmPC) and follow medical advice.
What it is
Brolucizumab is an anti-VEGF medicine used to treat wet age-related macular degeneration. Like other anti-VEGF treatments, it blocks the VEGF signal that drives the growth and leakage of abnormal blood vessels at the back of the eye. It is given as a small injection into the eye by an eye specialist. It is effective, but it has a more recognised risk of inflammation inside the eye than some alternatives, which influences how closely people are watched after treatment.
How it works
Brolucizumab binds to VEGF and blocks the signal that makes abnormal blood vessels grow and leak under the retina in wet AMD. This reduces the fluid and bleeding that distort central vision, helping sight stabilise and sometimes improve. As with all anti-VEGF injections, the effect wears off, so repeat injections are needed. A particular point with this medicine is that, in some people, it can trigger inflammation inside the eye, including in the retinal blood vessels, which is why prompt reporting of any eye symptoms matters.
Company & origin
Originated / developed by: Novartis.
An anti-VEGF medicine injected into the eye by an eye specialist in the UK for wet AMD, with a recognised risk of eye inflammation.
Practical use
How to take Brolucizumab
General, dose-free guidance — always follow your prescriber's and the leaflet's specific instructions.
- It is given as an injection into the eye by an eye specialist in a clinic; it is not used at home.
- Numbing drops and an antiseptic are used first, and a clean technique reduces the risk of infection.
- Be especially alert for eye symptoms in the weeks after each injection, given the recognised risk of inflammation.
- Do not rub your eye afterwards, and use any drops you are given exactly as directed.
- Report any eye redness, pain, new floaters or change in vision promptly, and seek urgent advice if your vision suddenly worsens.
Weighing it up
Advantages & disadvantages of Brolucizumab
Advantages
- Effective at controlling leakage and protecting sight in wet AMD.
- Given as a targeted injection into the eye, so it acts where it is needed with little effect on the rest of the body.
- May allow some people longer gaps between injections than certain older treatments.
Disadvantages
- Carries a more recognised risk of inflammation inside the eye, including retinal vasculitis, than some alternatives.
- Needs repeated injections and careful review, as the effect wears off and inflammation must be watched for.
- Also carries the usual small but serious risks of eye infection (endophthalmitis) and raised eye pressure.
Practical use
Good to know
Brolucizumab works like other anti-VEGF eye injections, but the single most important thing to understand is its recognised risk of inflammation inside the eye, including retinal vasculitis (inflammation of the retina's blood vessels) and blockage of those vessels, which can seriously harm vision if not caught early. Because of this, you should be especially alert in the weeks after each injection: report any eye redness, pain, increased floaters, light sensitivity or change in vision promptly rather than waiting, so it can be examined quickly. The injection itself is a routine procedure with numbing drops and a clean technique, and as with all eye injections there is also a rare risk of a serious eye infection (endophthalmitis) and a temporary rise in eye pressure. Keeping to your review appointments allows any inflammation to be spotted and treated early.
Who should not take it / use with caution
- People with active or suspected inflammation or infection in the eye should not be injected until it is treated.
- It is avoided if you have had a serious allergic reaction to brolucizumab or any of its ingredients.
- Used with caution, after weighing the risks, in pregnancy and breastfeeding and after a recent stroke or heart attack.
Monitoring
- Close eye examinations and scans (such as OCT) after injections to watch for inflammation as well as response.
- Checking eye pressure and looking carefully for any signs of infection or vessel inflammation.
- Reviewing your vision and symptoms over the course of treatment to decide on continuing or switching.
Side effects
- Temporary eye redness, soreness, grittiness, a small bloodshot patch or floaters that usually settle within days.
- Inflammation inside the eye, including retinal vasculitis or vessel blockage, which can threaten vision and needs urgent care.
- Rarely, a serious eye infection (endophthalmitis), raised eye pressure, retinal detachment or a sudden loss of vision, all needing urgent care.
Key interactions
- Because it works locally in the eye, important interactions with tablets and other medicines are uncommon.
- Tell the clinic about any blood-thinning medicines, although these are not usually a reason to stop treatment.
- If switching from another anti-VEGF injection, the specialist will plan the timing and the affected eye.
Available as: Solution given as an injection into the eye by an eye specialist.
Answers
Brolucizumab: frequently asked questions
Why is brolucizumab watched more closely than other eye injections?
It has a more recognised risk of inflammation inside the eye, including retinal vasculitis, which can harm sight, so any eye redness, pain or change in vision after an injection should be reported promptly.
What symptoms should make me contact the eye clinic?
Report eye redness, pain, increased floaters, light sensitivity or any change in vision after an injection, and seek urgent advice if your vision suddenly worsens.
Is it still an effective treatment for wet AMD?
Yes, it controls the leakage that damages central vision; the recognised inflammation risk means careful review rather than that it does not work.
How is the injection given?
It is a routine procedure done by an eye specialist in a clean clinic, using numbing drops so most people feel pressure rather than pain.
Will I need ongoing injections?
Yes, the effect wears off, so repeat injections with regular reviews are usually needed to keep the condition under control.
The wider class
About Anti-VEGF eye injection
Brolucizumab belongs to the anti-vegf eye injection class. For how the class as a whole works, its shared safety principles and monitoring, see the full guide.
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Authoritative sources
- BNF
- NICE CKS
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