Silicone lubricant "seeks its own"

[Jihm]

Immediately after my first injection from a new injector, at a new practice, (inj of Eylea), I saw my bubble of silicone (which was originally from an Avastin inj, using a stick-on needle type syringe , I had received years ago) larger and more dramatically than ever before. This large black disc with a gold center persisted until the next morning. It then left my field of vision, only to reappear in smaller, more familiar form weeks later. I had originally asked my former provider to switch from Avastin to Eylea because the practice where I was receiving my shots (a practice now closed) was using pre-loaded syringes with stick-on (friction held) needles for Avastin shots. (Yes, this is the USA.) Anyway, I found out, from a very thorough & knowledgeable local eye doctor, that if you get a second bit of silicone lube in your eye from a shot, that bit of silicone will join with the first bit and form a larger bubble - rather than leaving you with 2 bubbles bobbing around in your eye. I did not know that. And I thought I'd just pass than on. Hence this post.

[RP1944]

Good morning Jihm, thanks for posting this information. I am having Eyelea injections but know what to look out for if I ever get changed to Avastin. I hope the silicone bubble doesn’t cause you too many problems. Best wishes.

[Jihm in reply to RP1944]

Thanks! If you are in the UK, you have less to worry about in that regard because they do not use those preloaded syringes with the stick-on needles in the UK, even for Avastin.

[RP1944 in reply to Jihm]

In Cyprus actually but consultant trained in the UK.

[ANetliner]

Thank you for this post, Jihm. I just experienced black disc/s (first 2, then 1) after my second Avastin shot. I am very grateful for this information. From another thread on this site, it appears that this reaction can occur with Eylea, too, but I appreciate the caution about Avastin.

[Jihm in reply to ANetliner]

It really happens because of the particular type of syringe /needle used rather than the medication. The stick-on needles are more likely to get a bit of silicon lubricant on them from the syringe. That kind if needle is usually found on preloaded doses. In the US, that ismost often Avastin.