The short answer
Avastin, or bevacizumab, is an anti-VEGF medicine that stops leaky and abnormal blood vessels in the retina. In eye care it is injected into the eye, with numbing drops first, to treat conditions such as diabetic macular oedema, wet macular degeneration and swelling after a vein blockage. Most people feel pressure rather than pain. Injections usually start monthly and then space out, and treatment often continues for a long time.
Ask about eye injectionsMedically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
What anti-VEGF medicines do
VEGF is a signal the eye makes when the retina is short of oxygen. It makes vessels leak and grow where they should not. Blocking it lets swelling go down and fragile vessels shrink. Avastin is one of several anti-VEGF medicines. Others include ranibizumab and aflibercept, which are licensed specifically for eye use. Your eye doctor will explain which one they suggest and why.
What happens at an injection visit
- Your vision is checked, and often a scan of the retina is done
- Numbing drops go in, and the eyelids and eye are cleaned with antiseptic
- A small clip keeps the eyelids open
- You look away while a very fine needle injects the medicine through the white of the eye. It takes seconds
- Your pressure may be checked afterwards, and you go home
After the injection
The eye may feel gritty or sore for a day, and a small red patch on the white of the eye is common and harmless. You may see the medicine as a floating blob for a day or two. Do not rub the eye and keep dirty water out of it for a few days.
Infection inside the eye is rare but serious. Contact the eye team the same day for pain that gets worse, sight that gets worse, increasing redness, or sensitivity to light.
Sticking with the course
The benefit depends on keeping to the schedule. Missing injections often lets swelling return. Plan the cost and the trips from the start, and ask your eye doctor how the gaps between injections might be extended if your eye responds well.
What it costs on Mezo
One fixed price, paid online.
Common questions
Does an injection in the eye hurt?
Most people feel pressure and a brief sting, not sharp pain, because the eye is numbed first. The anticipation is usually worse than the injection.
Is Avastin a cancer drug?
Bevacizumab was first developed for cancer and is given into a vein for that. In the eye, a tiny dose is used, and it is widely used by eye specialists around the world.
Can I go to work after an injection?
Many people do, though sight may be blurry for some hours. Do not drive yourself if your pupils were dilated.
What does an eye injection cost on Mezo?
The eye specialist decides first whether you need one and which medicine. You then get a written quote, which also sets out the likely number of injections.
The procedures
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Sources and further reading
The guidelines and patient information this page is checked against. Care in Nigeria follows the same evidence; what differs is the price and where it is done.
- Anti-VEGF treatments. American Academy of Ophthalmology. Patient information.
- Ranibizumab for treating diabetic macular oedema. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical guideline.
- Aflibercept for treating diabetic macular oedema. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical guideline.
Links last checked 23 October 2026.
Medical disclaimer: This guide is general information and does not replace advice from your own doctor. Where your centre's instructions differ from this guide, follow theirs.