Recently two anti-vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors have been developed which appear to improve vision in age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Ranibizumab has been through a rigorous trial process assessing its efficacy and safety and is expensive, while bevacizumab, which costs a fraction of the price, has not. A recent internet survey suggested a very low rate of systemic side effects with bevacizumab. We report three patients in a series of 126 injections who developed a thromboembolic event soon after treatment. While these events may be unrelated, we suggest there may be gross under-reporting of systemic adverse events by data collected informally.

With an ageing population in the developed world, the prevalance of AMD, a condition that can cause blindness, is on the increase. Over the past …