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Eye injections for macular degeneration, by a consultant medical retina specialist.

Rapid-access wet AMD assessment, an honest choice between aflibercept, Eylea HD, faricimab and ranibizumab - and a treat-and-extend plan tailored to your OCT and your life.

A radiographer guides a patient onto the bed of an advanced 3 Tesla MRI scanner in a London imaging suite

Indicative pricing

What private eye injections for macular degeneration cost in the UK.

Indicative ranges across our partner medical retina units.

In short

£950–£1,900, home within the hour.

Treatment Indicative range
Intravitreal aflibercept 2mg (Eylea) £950–£1,400
Intravitreal aflibercept 8mg (Eylea HD) £1,400–£1,900
Intravitreal faricimab (Vabysmo) £1,200–£1,700
Intravitreal ranibizumab (Lucentis) £900–£1,300
Loading course (3 injections, one eye) £2,700–£5,400
New-patient wet AMD assessment (OCT + OCT-A) £350–£600

Prices vary by clinic, by which retina consultant delivers your care, by the anti-VEGF drug and dose, and by the OCT and imaging bundled into the visit.

The problem

The right diagnosis, the right drug, the right interval.

Wet AMD is time-critical, but most private pathways rely on fixed 8-week intervals and a single default drug. We fix diagnosis, drug choice and interval before you commit.

  • Sudden distortion this week?

    A rapid-access wet AMD slot within 24–48 hours, with OCT on the day and - if needed - angiography.

  • Worried about the burden?

    Aflibercept 8mg and faricimab can extend intervals to 12–16 weeks in many patients, honestly explained.

  • Already on injections?

    A second opinion, a formal drug switch, or a review of whether your interval can safely extend.

When it helps

When anti-VEGF injections are the right treatment.

The retinal conditions we treat most, plus the red flag that means eye A&E - not a clinic booking.

  • Neovascular ("wet") AMD

    New blood vessels leaking under the macula - the classic and commonest indication for anti-VEGF.

  • Diabetic macular oedema (DMO)

    Central retinal swelling from diabetic retinopathy - anti-VEGF is first line for centre-involving DMO.

  • Retinal vein occlusion (RVO)

    Macular oedema after branch or central retinal vein occlusion - treated on a similar treat-and-extend basis.

  • Myopic choroidal neovascularisation

    New vessels in high myopia - a small number of injections often controls the disease long-term.

  • Distortion or a missing patch

    Straight lines that bend, or a smudge in central vision, on your Amsler grid - assess within days, not weeks.

  • Established wet AMD on treatment

    Already having injections and want a second opinion, a switch of drug, or a longer interval - we take these referrals.

  • Geographic atrophy (dry AMD)

    Pegcetacoplan (Syfovre) may slow lesion growth - an honest conversation about likely benefit is essential.

  • Red flag: sudden vision loss

    A sudden painful red eye after a recent injection, or a curtain across vision, is an emergency - same-day eye A&E, not a clinic booking.

Drug options

Anti-VEGF is not one drug - it is a family.

What each option on the table actually does, and which fits which patient.

  • Aflibercept 2mg (Eylea)

    The workhorse anti-VEGF for wet AMD and DMO - proven durability at 8-week intervals in most patients after loading.

  • Aflibercept 8mg (Eylea HD)

    Higher-dose aflibercept licensed 2023 - PULSAR/PHOTON data support intervals up to 20 weeks in responders.

  • Faricimab (Vabysmo)

    Dual-action antibody targeting angiopoietin-2 and VEGF-A - YOSEMITE/RHINE show up to 16-week intervals for many patients.

  • Ranibizumab (Lucentis)

    The original NICE-approved anti-VEGF - still used where aflibercept or faricimab is unsuitable, and in myopic CNV.

  • Pegcetacoplan (Syfovre)

    For non-neovascular geographic atrophy - slows lesion growth but does not restore vision. Not for wet AMD.

  • Port delivery system (Susvimo)

    A refillable ranibizumab implant giving 6-monthly refills - UK availability is limited and case-selected.

  • Second-opinion / switch clinic

    Already on injections but plateauing, or intervals shortening - a formal review of the drug, the dose and the interval.

Safety and side effects

What to expect afterwards - honestly.

Intravitreal injections are one of the most-delivered eye procedures in the UK - over 800,000 a year in England. Serious complications are rare; knowing what is normal and what is not is what matters.

  • Endophthalmitis is rare but serious

    A severe intraocular infection occurs after roughly 1 in 3,000–5,000 injections. Sudden pain, redness or worsening vision within days is an emergency - call the clinic or attend eye A&E.

  • Transient rise in eye pressure

    Intraocular pressure rises briefly after every injection. Around 5% of patients need long-term pressure-lowering drops - checked on your review OCT visits.

  • Subconjunctival haemorrhage is common

    A red patch on the white of the eye where the needle entered is cosmetic and settles in 1–2 weeks. It is not a sign of a bad injection.

  • Floaters and blurred vision for hours

    New floaters and a haze from the povidone-iodine prep are expected on the day. Vision is usually back to your baseline by the following morning.

  • Traumatic cataract and retinal detachment

    Both are uncommon - around 1 in 1,000–2,000 injections for detachment. Any curtain, flashes or sudden loss of vision needs urgent review.

  • Dry eye and injection fatigue are real

    Repeated drops, prep and appointments wear people down. Compliance drops after year three - we plan intervals honestly with that in mind.

  • Systemic risk is small but monitored

    The dose reaching the bloodstream is tiny, but rare cardiovascular events are noted per label. Your specialist reviews the balance if you have had a recent stroke or heart attack.

  • Red flags after an injection

    Increasing pain, spreading redness, worsening vision or a curtain across sight in the days after an injection are not normal - seek same-day eye emergency care.

Reading your injection clinic note

Your clinic letter in four parts. Read the last one first.

Whichever drug is used, the letter your retina consultant sends after each injection keeps to the same shape.

A UK medical retina consultant reviewing an OCT scan for a patient with wet AMD

A quiet reminder

Retina language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.

If you would like us to talk you through the letter and OCT before your next visit, just ask.

  1. 01 Header

    Diagnosis, eye treated and drug given

    The indication (wet AMD, DMO, RVO, myopic CNV), which eye was injected, the drug, dose and batch number.

  2. 02 Technique

    OCT findings and injection technique

    Whether the OCT showed subretinal fluid, intraretinal fluid or a pigment epithelial detachment, and the site of the pars plana injection.

  3. 03 Findings

    Anatomical response and visual acuity

    How the retina is responding compared with the last visit, and the Snellen or ETDRS letter score in the treated eye.

  4. 04 Impression

    Interval, next visit and safety-netting

    Read this first: the extended or contracted interval, the date of your next injection, and the red flags to act on before then.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Cover for anti-VEGF injections varies by insurer and by indication - usually funded when medically indicated for wet AMD, DMO or RVO, subject to authorisation limits per eye.

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about anti-VEGF injections.

Quick answers on pain, cost, drug choice, and how many injections you actually need.

  • Do the injections hurt?

    Most patients describe a brief pressure sensation, not pain. The eye is fully numbed with drops and the injection itself takes under 30 seconds. Soreness and a gritty feeling from the iodine prep are common for a few hours afterwards.

  • How often will I need injections for wet AMD?

    A loading course of three monthly injections comes first. After that we use a treat-and-extend regime - extending the interval by two weeks each visit while the OCT stays dry, aiming for 12–16 weeks with aflibercept 8mg or faricimab.

  • Which anti-VEGF drug is best - Eylea, Eylea HD or Vabysmo?

    For most treatment-naïve wet AMD, aflibercept 8mg (Eylea HD) or faricimab (Vabysmo) offer the longest realistic intervals. Ranibizumab is still used in myopic CNV and where the newer drugs are unsuitable. The right choice depends on your OCT, other eye conditions and how far you have to travel.

  • How much do private eye injections for macular degeneration cost in the UK?

    Roughly £950–£1,400 per aflibercept 2mg injection, £1,200–£1,700 for faricimab and £1,400–£1,900 for aflibercept 8mg. A three-injection loading course typically sits between £2,700 and £5,400 in one eye.

  • Are these injections available on the NHS?

    Yes - anti-VEGF for wet AMD is a NICE-approved NHS treatment (TA294 aflibercept 2mg, TA924 aflibercept 8mg, TA672 faricimab). Over 800,000 injections are delivered a year in England. The NHS uses fixed intervals under Blueteq; private clinics more often use full treat-and-extend.

  • What are the risks of intravitreal injections?

    The serious risk to know is endophthalmitis - a rare intraocular infection occurring in about 1 in 3,000–5,000 injections. Sudden pain, redness or worsening vision in the days after an injection is an emergency. Cataract, retinal detachment and sustained IOP rise are all uncommon.

  • Can I drive home after an injection?

    Vision is often blurred for a few hours from the dilating drops and iodine prep. Most clinics advise being driven home or taking a taxi on injection days. By the next morning vision has usually returned to your baseline.

  • What if wet AMD is only in one eye - will the other eye be affected?

    Around one in three people with wet AMD in one eye will develop it in the other within five years. We teach you the Amsler grid to check weekly at home and offer rapid re-review if central vision changes in the untreated eye.

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