Your Patients Need Eylea — Here's How to Help Them Get It

As a retina specialist or ophthalmologist, you know that treatment continuity is critical for patients on anti-VEGF therapy. A missed Eylea (Aflibercept) injection can lead to disease reactivation, fluid accumulation, and irreversible vision loss — particularly in patients with wet AMD, diabetic macular edema, or retinal vein occlusion.

Yet the reality of 2026 is that Eylea supply remains inconsistent in many parts of the country. Patients are calling your office worried, and your staff is spending increasing time managing supply logistics. This guide offers practical, actionable steps to help your patients maintain access to Eylea — or a suitable alternative — without disruption.

Current Availability Landscape

Eylea availability in 2026 is best characterized as regionally variable:

• Large retina groups and academic centers generally maintain adequate supply through established distributor relationships and priority allocations.
• Smaller practices, particularly in rural or underserved areas, continue to face intermittent gaps.
• Eylea HD (8 mg) availability has been somewhat more stable than the standard 2 mg formulation.
• Specialty distributors allocate based on historical purchase patterns, which can limit the ability of practices to increase orders during high-demand periods.

For a comprehensive overview of the supply timeline and factors involved, see our provider briefing on the Eylea shortage.

Why Patients Can't Find Eylea on Their Own

It's important to understand why patients are struggling:

• Eylea isn't a pharmacy drug. Unlike most medications, patients can't simply call around to retail pharmacies. Eylea is stocked by the practice that administers it, making it opaque to patients.
• No patient-facing supply information. Manufacturer supply data and distributor allocation details aren't publicly available, leaving patients with no way to know which practices have stock.
• Reluctance to see a different provider. Many patients have an established relationship with their retina specialist and are hesitant to seek care elsewhere, even temporarily.
• Insurance and referral barriers. Switching to a different practice may require a new referral, prior authorization, or navigating out-of-network costs.

What Providers Can Do: 5 Practical Steps

Step 1: Monitor Supply Proactively

Don't wait until you're out of stock to act. Implement these practices:

• Track your Eylea inventory weekly, not just when reordering.
• Set minimum stock thresholds that trigger early reorder requests.
• Establish relationships with multiple specialty distributors to reduce dependence on a single source.
• Request regular supply forecasts from your distributor representatives.

Step 2: Communicate Early and Often

Patients handle uncertainty much better when they're informed proactively rather than learning about a shortage at the time of their appointment. Consider:

• Calling or messaging patients 48 to 72 hours before their appointment if supply is uncertain.
• Providing a brief, written explanation of the supply situation (a one-page handout or patient portal message).
• Sharing patient-facing resources like our Eylea shortage update for patients.

Step 3: List Your Practice on Medfinder

Medfinder for providers is a platform that connects patients seeking specific medications with practices that have them in stock. If your practice has Eylea available, listing your availability helps patients find you — reducing missed treatments across the system.

Conversely, if you're running low, you can direct your patients to Medfinder to locate other providers with current supply.

Step 4: Have a Switching Protocol Ready

Develop a standardized protocol for transitioning patients to alternative anti-VEGF agents when Eylea is unavailable. Your protocol should include:

• First-line alternatives: Vabysmo (Faricimab) for wet AMD and DME; Lucentis biosimilars (Cimerli, Byooviz) as another option.
• Cost-sensitive patients: Avastin (Bevacizumab) at ~$50–$100 per dose for patients where cost is a major barrier.
• Documentation: Clear chart notes explaining the reason for the switch and planned return to Eylea when available.
• Patient counseling talking points: Brief explanation of why the switch is being made and reassurance about clinical equivalence.

For a detailed comparison of alternatives, refer to our alternatives to Eylea guide.

Step 5: Optimize Scheduling and Dosing

Small scheduling adjustments can help stretch your supply:

• Evaluate Eylea HD eligibility: Transitioning appropriate patients from Eylea 2 mg (q4–8 weeks) to Eylea HD 8 mg (q8–16 weeks) can reduce the total number of injections and doses needed.
• Treat-and-extend protocols: For stable patients, extending treatment intervals within evidence-based guidelines can reduce overall demand without compromising outcomes.
• Batch scheduling: Coordinate injection days to minimize vial waste and optimize supply utilization.

Alternatives to Consider

When Eylea is unavailable, the following agents are clinically supported alternatives:

• Vabysmo (Faricimab-svoa): Bispecific antibody targeting VEGF-A and Ang-2. FDA-approved for wet AMD and DME. Non-inferior to Eylea in clinical trials. Extended dosing up to 16 weeks.
• Lucentis (Ranibizumab) and biosimilars: Well-established efficacy across wet AMD, DME, and RVO. Biosimilars (Cimerli, Byooviz) offer lower cost.
• Avastin (Bevacizumab): Off-label but supported by CATT and IVAN trials. Significantly lower cost. Requires compounding pharmacy.
• Beovu (Brolucizumab): Extended dosing potential (q8–12 weeks). Weigh against intraocular inflammation risk.

Workflow Tips for Your Practice

Here are additional operational recommendations to streamline your approach during supply constraints:

• Designate a supply coordinator. Assign a staff member to monitor inventory, communicate with distributors, and flag potential shortfalls early.
• Create patient communication templates. Pre-written letters, emails, and phone scripts save time and ensure consistent messaging.
• Track switching data. Document which patients were switched, to what agent, and their response. This helps with clinical decision-making and can identify patients who should or shouldn't return to Eylea.
• Leverage your EHR. Use EHR alerts or flags to identify patients due for injection who may be affected by supply issues.
• Network with colleagues. Informal communication with nearby retina practices can help identify supply availability and coordinate patient referrals.

Final Thoughts

Eylea supply constraints in 2026 are manageable — but they require proactive planning, clear patient communication, and clinical flexibility. By monitoring supply, maintaining switching protocols, and leveraging tools like Medfinder for providers, your practice can ensure that patients continue to receive the anti-VEGF therapy they need without dangerous treatment gaps.

For the latest supply information and patient-facing resources, visit medfinder.com/providers. For a broader perspective on the Eylea supply situation, read our provider briefing on the Eylea shortage in 2026.