I had an Avastin Injection in my left eye for WMD February 2019.
Since the injection, I am seeing a circular floater that has a black ring around a white, shiny center.
It floats around my vision in bright light inside and outside. It is very annoying when looking at something white.
I told my retinologist and he said he could not see it and did not offer any explanation.
Only by googling did I find that this is a silicone residue from the injection.
Is there any help to get rid of it?
Yes, I have the same type of floaters and was told it was residue medication. I don't think there is any way to get rid of these. (After last shot, I now have several smaller ones (when in bright light) instead of the only 1 prominent one.)
Avastin/bevacizumab injection with an insulin (diabetes) syringe...
It's been reported that this silicone problem is caused by the injector incorrectly using an insulin syringe instead of a syringe for the eye...
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/283...
topclassactions.com/lawsuit...
gblawyers.com/avastin-lawsuit/
but apparently the problem may be corrected...
aao.org/1-minute-video/remo...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I've got one, had it about a year now, and it's gone a grungy brown – presumably it picks up grunge from within the eye. It doesn't usually annoy me, it's slightly entertaining the way it bobs around, reminds me of a spirit level. I got mine from Eylea injections, so I don't know what the go on with syringes is.
When I first asked about it, I was told only floaters could be seen. Then it dawned on me that since it was now a grungy colour, that's what it might have been taken for. I asked again a couple of months later and I think there was some acceptance of what it is.
I do not have any suggestions on getting rid of it, but, unless you are a diabetic, your doctor should not be using silicone coated needles for the injection. There have been a substantial number of problems with silicone residue from the silicone coating on the diabetic needles remaining in the eye.
So, unless you are diabetic, insist that silicone coated needles not be used.
The needles are never intentionally coated with silicone oil. The oil is to lube the moving parts of the syringe. All the different types of syringes use it. The flicking, or agitating of the syringe just prior to the injection, and the type of syringe used are the 2 biggest factors in whether or not you will get silicone in your eye. I am seeing a silicone bubble right now from an old Avastin injection, by the way.
Not all syringes have silicone as a lubricant. One can buy no-silicone syringes. The biggest problem is that Compounding Pharmacies that sell Avastin in pre-filled syringes use the ones that are lubricated with silicone. It is all about the $$$. They buy the silicone syringes intended for diabetics in bulk & use them for all the pre-filled Avastin injections they ship out. Read about it here: spanglaw.com/blog/2017/apri...
My Retina Specialist does not used pre-filled syringes. When I was on Avastin, he filled his own freshly opened syringe with the Avastin from a small bottle of Avastin & he is doing the same now that I am on Eylea (Eylea cannot be bought in pre-filled syringes like Avastin). He pays the extra money for no-silicone syringes for his patients.
So basically, if one is not a diabetic, one should INSIST on non-silicone syringes for one's eye shot (unless your doctor insists on only using syringes pre-filled with Avastin at the Compound Pharmacy from which the doctor makes his Avastin purchases instead of loading his own syringes).
Very interesting, Retired 130. I was able to investigate the silicone lubricant question with the help of the head of a large specialty pharmacy, who became interested in the question. The syringe manufacturer (biggest in the US) refused to tell me whether all their syringes were lubricated with silicone, saying that information like that was not available to patients or the general public. The chief pharmacist reported to me that she was informed by them that all the types of syringes the company manufacturers use silicone lubricant. That is all I know about it. Well, that and the April 2019 article in the British Journal of Ophthalmology one of our members here referenced in a post
several weeks ago. It sounds like your Retina Specialist is much more careful about what he puts in your eye than are most!
Just want to add a link to the article referenced:
I have one of those from my first injection over a year ago, but I hardly see it so wouldn't consider going through that operation where a needle is placed in the eye and the bubble chased round and sucked out, that kevinaki has given the link for. I think I'll live with mine.
Mike.
I have floaters from a silicone coated syringe for 3 years now. There was a lawsuit in the US but you need a doctor to make a statement that the floater are from the silicone - which they won't do because they are the ones who used an inappropriate syringe...so the doctors told me that it was "air bubbles" or some other fabricated nonsense.....If it makes you feel any better they do become less severe with time.....
The exact thing happened to me. First she told me it was silicone from the needle packing, and not to worry. It was scary-looking but they went away after a day or so. The next time it happened she called them "air bubbles." I can tell oil from air, but oh well. She would never specify this for a lawsuit against the shipper or whoever it is, so I've given up. I continue to get the shots; this time I've had lots of floaters and some round ones which look suspiciously like the silicone bubbles, but what is one to do? She is a wonderful specialist and I know Medicare (I'm in the US) wouldn't pay for anything more expensive than Avastin. So on I go... after 18 months or so, no progression, so the Avastin is working. I'm living with the small floaters I've got.
Hi Whiskbroom, As I understand it silicone looks very different under slit lamp investigation than either air or inj fluid and any eye doc could easily identify it. I'm astounded she would say it was silicone and not to worry. You could always go to someone else and have them check. Maybe ask whoever is running the class action??
The shiny ' polo mint' black ring with white centre I've had a few times - it was the inj fluid and bobbed about for days before eventually disappearing. Other times the fluid goes wavy, I call it the ' lava lamp' effect. When it breaks up it can look like floaters but doesnt move like them then dissolves.
I think anything inside the eye looks different than if it were outside .
Has anyone’s floaters settles to the bottom of the eye. Recent studies say 90 percent of people’s go away. Have yours?
Finally, after 4 months I think the silicone floater has settled at the top of my eye.
It hasn’t floated into the center of my vision
I get a glimpse of it occasionally
I’m hoping it doesn’t float down!
Heck yeah love to here the positive replies. I have some after an injection 5 days ago. It’s sucks being young and having these but it was an idiopathic bleed that shouldn’t ever come back. Had my injection and only on this one have I seen floaters. I am not sure why now and not in the other four injections .
Blurry vision after 2nd Avastin injection
Blurr/Foggy Vision after 3rd Avastin Injection.
Black floaters after Eyelea injection Had injection 1weekago and still have lots of tiny black floaters. Anyone else experience d this?
Floaters after Lucentis 
