Dongguan Aier Eye Hospital's Wang Hu Team Completes Dongguan's First 8mg Aflibercept Injection, Tackling Retinal Disease Challenges with Long-Acting Innovative Therapy

On January 20, the team led by Dr. Wang Hu at Dongguan Aier Eye Hospital successfully administered an 8mg intravitreal injection of aflibercept to a 79-year-old patient with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). This treatment not only marks the first clinical application of this long-acting drug in Dongguan but also signifies the hospital's advancement into a new phase of “precision intervention and long-term management” in comprehensive retinal disease treatment. It offers a novel solution for patients with complex retinal conditions who previously faced limited treatment outcomes and difficulties in adhering to follow-up appointments.

Age-related macular degeneration is one of the primary eye diseases causing irreversible vision loss in the elderly. Among its subtypes, neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) has long posed significant challenges in ophthalmic clinical practice due to its complex nature and high recurrence rate.

Powerful Disease Control, Long-Lasting Relief

Ms. Shen, a 79-year-old patient from Gansu Province, underwent treatment this time. Two years ago, she experienced symptoms such as decreased vision and distorted vision in her left eye, leading to a diagnosis of “exudative age-related macular degeneration.” Although she had received multiple anti-VEGF injections and maintained stability for a period, her vision deteriorated again and macular edema worsened after treatment was interrupted due to travel difficulties.

Wang Hu, Director of Retinal Trauma at Dongguan Aier Eye Hospital, explained that conventional nAMD treatment requires regular intravitreal injections, and once interrupted, the condition is highly prone to recurrence. Addressing the challenges in Aunt Shen's treatment, the medical team developed a long-term management plan using the extended-release formulation aflibercept 8mg. This approach aims to extend injection intervals and reduce clinic visits, thereby achieving sustained disease stability.

Abaraptan 8mg delivers higher drug concentrations and enhanced tissue penetration, enabling deeper penetration into retinal lesions. This facilitates the resolution of subretinal fluid accumulation and reduces the risk of disease progression. Wang Hu stated, “This type of long-acting treatment regimen provides us with a more effective approach for managing complex, persistent nAMD. It not only enhances the efficacy of each individual treatment but also, by extending the treatment interval, helps patients establish a more sustainable visual health management cycle. This holds significant importance for improving the quality of life for the elderly.”

What is nAMD? Why is long-term management crucial?

nAMD predominantly affects individuals over 60 years old. Patients often experience sudden vision loss in one eye, central visual field shadows, and distorted vision. The condition progresses rapidly; without timely intervention, it can lead to severe loss of central vision.

Currently, anti-VEGF drugs serve as the core treatment for nAMD. They stabilize vision by inhibiting abnormal new blood vessel growth and reducing macular edema. However, traditional anti-VEGF drugs have a short duration of action, typically requiring injections every 1-2 months. This imposes significant physical, mental, and transportation burdens on elderly patients. The emergence of long-acting drugs like 8mg aflibercept extends treatment intervals to 4 months, and in some patients even up to 6 months. This advances the management of retinal diseases toward “fewer injections, longer duration, and standardized care.”

From “Repeated Hospital Visits” to “One-Stop Injection”

Intravitreal injections are currently the first-line treatment for various retinal diseases, including nAMD, diabetic retinopathy, and retinal vein occlusion. However, the traditional treatment model requires patients to make frequent trips to the hospital, making it difficult for many elderly individuals with mobility issues to adhere to standardized treatment.

Dongguan Aier Eye Hospital remains committed to introducing internationally advanced, clinically validated innovative treatments locally, with a particular focus on patients with long-term, complex retinal diseases where traditional therapies show limited efficacy. The initial application of 8mg aflibercept represents not only the introduction of a new drug but also a crucial step in establishing the hospital's “Comprehensive Diagnostic and Treatment Platform for Complex Retinal Diseases.”

Leveraging its on-site “Intraocular Injection Center,” the hospital implements a “one-stop” injection service model. This integrates preoperative assessment, drug administration, postoperative follow-up, and health guidance to provide each patient with a customized, full-process management plan covering drug selection, injection schedules, and long-term monitoring.

Prior to this, the hospital had progressively introduced multiple novel intravitreal injection medications, including aflibercept (Lucentis®), accumulating extensive experience in the diagnosis and treatment of complex cases. Currently, the hospital offers all types of intravitreal injections approved by the national authorities, enabling truly personalized precision treatment tailored to each patient's specific disease stage, treatment response, and individual circumstances.

Against the backdrop of an aging population, retinal diseases such as nAMD and diabetic retinopathy are increasingly becoming major threats to residents' visual health. The debut of these novel therapies in Dongguan not only provides local patients with internationally aligned treatment options but also underscores Aier Eye Hospital Dongguan's forward-thinking approach to managing chronic retinal diseases. Moving forward, the hospital will continue to focus on breakthroughs in treating complex and challenging retinal conditions, empowering more patients to achieve long-term stability and improvement in their visual quality.