Eye injections in China: comparing costs and continuing treatment for wet macular degeneration and macular edema
When booking an appointment with a retinal specialist, send the hospital the diagnosis for each eye, the latest OCT images, and the date of the last injection. Both wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) and diabetic macular edema are treated with anti-VEGF medicines injected into the eye. The medicine for the next injection and the timing of follow-up depend on how each eye has responded to previous treatment.
Key points
- For medicines with the same drug name, check the brand, concentration, vial or prefilled presentation, and which eye will receive the injection.
- If your vision suddenly worsens or eye pain increases after an injection, contact the injection center or the nearest eye emergency service immediately.
First, identify which eye disease is causing the problem
Provide the hospital with best-corrected visual acuity results and OCT images labeled with the eye and date. You can also submit any existing retinal photographs or angiography images for review. Clearly record the medicine used for each previous injection, the intervals between injections, and changes in vision or fluid. The doctor will use this information to distinguish wet AMD, diabetic macular edema, edema following retinal vein occlusion, or new blood vessel growth caused by pathological myopia. The diagnosis affects which products can be used and which measures need monitoring.
How to compare aflibercept and conbercept
Originator aflibercept (Ailiya, Eylea) is approved in China for adults with wet AMD and diabetic macular edema. Conbercept (Langmu) was developed in China and was first approved there for wet AMD in 2013. It was later also approved for visual impairment due to certain forms of pathological myopia, diabetic macular edema, and retinal vein occlusion. Before switching medicines, ask the doctor to explain the reason and write down the goals for the next assessment.
How much does a vial cost, and how much does an injection cost?
For originator Eylea (Ailiya) 40 mg/mL in a 0.1 mL vial, the reference medicine price in China is CNY 2,935.30 per vial, and the reference charge under non-contracted insurance in the Netherlands is 784.61 euros per vial. For conbercept (Langmu) 2 mg/0.2 mL, the reference medicine price in China is CNY 2,801.86 per unit. If the doctor schedules three conbercept injections for one eye, using one unit each time, the total medicine cost is CNY 8,405.58. Injection procedures, OCT, follow-up visits, and round-trip travel cost extra. The total amount in a vial differs from the dose injected into the eye each time.
How to allow flexibility in your travel plans if follow-up dates change
Ask the doctor to write down the current injection date, product, next OCT date, and expected injection window for each eye separately, and agree on who will decide whether to adjust the interval based on vision and imaging. If your travel schedule is tight, you can arrange an assessment in China first and have a local retinal center take over subsequent injections. After sending the images, ask the receiving center to confirm that it can open the original images.
Frequently asked questions
If both eyes need treatment, should I double the price quoted for one eye?
Ask the hospital to list medicines, procedures, and examinations separately for the left and right eyes. Some examinations or outpatient services are billed together, while others are charged per eye.
If I have already had OCT, can I pay only for the injection next time?
Whether OCT needs to be repeated at the next visit depends on the retinal condition, the time since the last examination, and the clarity of the existing images. Send the original images labeled with the date and eye to the retinal center, and ask for separate lists of medicine costs, injection costs, and examinations that need to be repeated.
Since both products target VEGF, can I suggest alternating them with each injection?
A retinal specialist should decide whether to switch based on previous injections and the OCT and visual acuity responses. Record the most recently used product when transferring care.
I also found a conbercept indication for premature infants. Can they follow the adult treatment process?
Retinopathy of prematurity has its own screening deadlines, zone and stage classifications, and treatment criteria. Neonatology and pediatric ophthalmology teams should arrange care according to the established schedule. Parents should not wait according to adult injection intervals.
What symptoms after an injection need immediate attention?
If eye pain becomes markedly worse, vision suddenly declines, or redness continues to worsen, contact the treatment center immediately or visit a local eye emergency service. Do not wait for your return flight.