Aflibercept 8 mg Shows Promise in Reducing Injection Burden | AAO 2025

At this year’s American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) meeting in Orlando, Diana Do, M.D., vice chair of clinical affairs and professor of ophthalmology at Stanford University’s Byers Eye Institute, presented late-breaking findings this past Friday on the real-world use of aflibercept (Eylea HD) 8 mg in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) or diabetic macular edema (DME).

Her session, titled “Real-World Use of Aflibercept 8 mg in Eyes With nAMD or DME: Analysis of the IRIS Registry,” revealed data suggesting that higher-dose aflibercept could reduce the number of injections patients need while improving vision.

Based on data including more than 788 million patient visits from more than 15,000 ophthalmologists, thousands of eyes were counted in the IRIS Registry. The data revealed that aflibercept 8 mg showed promise in treatment-naive patients, allowing them to go up to 12 weeks between injections.

Related: Eylea HD Provides Vision Gains and Longer Dosing Intervals in Real-World Analysis | AAO 2025

"We saw injection intervals of 12 weeks, and this was accompanied by significant improvements in vision," she said, adding that not only are the findings impactful to their clinical practice, but that they also suggest the potential to reduce treatment burden for patients while still delivering meaningful visual outcomes.

Do also explained that while the standard 2 mg dose of aflibercept has been safe and effective for over a decade, the 8 mg dose could offer longer-lasting results. This could mean fewer injections for patients and less strain on clinics.

In addition, she shared that giving patients the right therapy early is key to preserving and improving vision.

"We want to have the autonomy to choose the best medicine for our patients, to protect their vision and their livelihood," she added, highlighting the importance of clinical choice in managing eye disease.

These real-world findings suggest that aflibercept 8 mg could help patients maintain their vision while reducing the burden of frequent injections, offering promising options for both nAMD and DME care.