Now streaming: The story of how VABYSMO® improved Nina’s vision* after a diabetic macular edema diagnosis and how her daughter-in-law never let her lose hope.
^(Please see Important Safety Information at the bottom of this post and the full) ^(VABYSMO Prescribing Information)^(.)
^(Patient experiences may vary. Patient compensated by Genentech.)
TL;DR - One diagnosis. One bond. One unforgettable journey. When family matriarch Nina was diagnosed with diabetic macular edema (DME), everything changed. Diabetic macular edema is an eye complication associated with diabetes. If left untreated it can lead to significant vision loss and even blindness. As Nina’s symptoms worsened, her visual distortion got so bad she couldn’t even make out her grandson’s face. That’s when she knew she had to act. It was her Defining Moment. With the support of her daughter-in-law Hannah, Nina faced her diagnosis head-on and met with a retina specialist. After starting treatment with VABYSMO, her vision improved quickly.* We follow her journey as she comes back stronger than ever.
^(VABYSMO is an FDA-approved treatment for people with DME. VABYSMO is an eye injection. Do not receive VABYSMO if you have an infection in or around your eye, have active swelling around your eye that may include pain and redness, or are allergic to VABYSMO or any of the ingredients in VABYSMO)
^(*On average, people gained 6 letters at 1 month after their first treatment and gained and maintained 11 letters over 1 year on an eye chart with VABYSMO, similar to aflibercept 2 mg.)
https://reddit.com/link/1n6msut/video/tiynos19yekf1/player
Before diabetic macular edema, Nina was the heart of her family. She was the organizer, the cook, the one who made things feel like home.
Weekends meant grilling with her husband and serving up her famous rice and charro beans. It’s what she loved most. Having the whole family together. That meant everything.
But then, her vision started changing. It was little things at first... pictures blurred, faces faded.
At a routine eye exam, the doctor looked concerned. His words hit hard.
Spot the signs of diabetic macular edema
For Nina, losing her vision meant losing everything she loved. Her independence, her role in the family, even the simple things like going to the movies.
But the real wake-up call came with her grandson, Alex.
As her vision worsened, the unthinkable happened. The moment that changed everything.
https://i.redd.it/z0t0nl22kfkf1.gif
https://reddit.com/link/1n6msut/video/oui76zuynfkf1/player
Watch Nina’s full story to see how VABYSMO made a difference
When Nina was at her lowest, it was her daughter-in-law Hannah who stepped up. Having lost her own mom at a young age, Hannah took on the role of caregiver without missing a beat.
She drove Nina to every appointment, read every form, translated questions for Nina’s husband, and filled out all the paperwork.
Hannah was there, guiding Nina through the door, holding her hand during treatment, and walking her back to the car.
For someone who was used to doing everything herself (“I’m a little control freak,” Nina admits), relying on Hannah taught her that asking for help isn’t weakness. It’s strength.
Helping someone through vision loss? Read this
As Nina’s vision continued to get worse, Nina's retina specialist decided VABYSMO could be the right choice for her. He explained that diabetic macular edema is caused by damaged blood vessels in the eye. VEGF and Ang-2 are two proteins in the eye that cause blood vessels to swell and leak fluid. VABYSMO is different as it’s the only treatment thought to block both.†
Nina was amazed at how quickly VABYSMO improved her vision.*
Little by little, things started to change. She gradually began to make out street signs, watch TV, even see the actors’ faces again.
^(*On average, people gained 6 letters at 1 month after their first treatment and gained and maintained 11 letters over 1 year on an eye chart with VABYSMO, similar to aflibercept 2 mg.)
^(†VABYSMO is thought to block the VEGF and Ang-2 proteins. The benefit of blocking Ang-2 has yet to be established.)
^(Ang-2=angiopoietin-2; VEGF=vascular endothelial growth factor.)
^(VABYSMO can cause eye infection, retinal detachment, temporary increase in eye pressure, an uncommon risk of heart attack or stroke, or severe swelling of blood vessels in the eye.)
^(Please see Important Safety Information at the bottom of the post and the full) ^(VABYSMO Prescribing Information.)
Discover the treatment that made a difference
Nina was fortunate to have insurance, but not everyone does.
If you’re worried about cost, there are support options out there that could help.
Worried about cost? This might help.
At first, Nina’s VABYSMO injections were spaced every four weeks. She knew VABYSMO delivered the chance for up to 4 months between treatments.‡ And it wasn’t long before that hope became a reality.
^(‡After 4 or 6 initial monthly eye injections, your doctor will choose a schedule of 1 to 4 months based on patient response. Dosing may vary.)
With longer stretches between appointments, Nina could spend more time doing what she loved. And with Hannah's support, she was starting to feel like herself again.
Or as she puts it, "probably stronger than ever."
^(Please see Important Safety Information at the bottom of this post and the full) ^(VABYSMO Prescribing Information)^(.)
Looking back, she says, “I’d go through it all again, knowing the ending would be this good.”
VABYSMO improved her vision.* But most of all, she could see Alex again. His eyes, his smile, all the details she thought she might miss.
Now Nina's back to her starring role as the heart of the family. Busy cooking her favorite dishes, planning vacations, going to the movies, and back at work doing her thing.
In her own words...
^(*On average, people gained 6 letters at 1 month after their first treatment and gained and maintained 11 letters over 1 year on an eye chart with VABYSMO, similar to aflibercept 2 mg.)
^(Please see Important Safety Information at the bottom of this post and the full) ^(VABYSMO Prescribing Information)^(.)
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
What is VABYSMO?
VABYSMO (faricimab-svoa) is a prescription medicine given by injection into the eye used to treat adults with neovascular (wet) age‐related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), and macular edema following retinal vein occlusion (RVO).
Do not receive VABYSMO if you:
- Have an infection in or around your eye.
- Have active swelling around your eye that may include pain and redness.
- Are allergic to VABYSMO or any of the ingredients in VABYSMO.
What is the most important information I should know about VABYSMO?
- Injections like the one for VABYSMO can cause an eye infection (endophthalmitis), separation of layers of the retina (retinal detachment), or inflammation in the eye that can lead to vision loss. Call your healthcare provider right away if your eye becomes red, sensitive to light, or you have a change or loss of vision.
- VABYSMO may cause a temporary increase in pressure in the eye (intraocular pressure), which occurs within 60 minutes after receiving the eye injection.
- Although not common, VABYSMO patients have had serious, sometimes fatal, problems related to blood clots, such as heart attacks or strokes (thromboembolic events). In clinical studies for wet AMD during the first year, 7 out of 664 patients treated with VABYSMO reported such an event. In clinical studies for DME from baseline to week 100, 64 out of 1,262 patients treated with VABYSMO reported such an event. In clinical studies for RVO during 6 months, 7 out of 641 patients treated with VABYSMO reported such an event.
- Severe inflammation of vessels in the retina has happened for patients treated with VABYSMO. Call your healthcare provider immediately if you experience a change in vision.
Before receiving VABYSMO, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
- Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Based on how VABYSMO interacts with your body, there may be a potential risk to your unborn baby. You should use birth control before your first injection, during your treatment with VABYSMO, and for 3 months after your last dose of VABYSMO.
- Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if VABYSMO passes into your breast milk. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby if you receive VABYSMO.
- Are taking any medications, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take.
What should I avoid while receiving VABYSMO?
- Your vision may be impaired after receiving an eye injection or after an eye exam. Do not drive or use machinery until your vision has recovered sufficiently.
What are the most common side effects with VABYSMO?
- The most common side effects with VABYSMO were cataract and blood on the white of the eye (conjunctival hemorrhage).
- These are not all the possible side effects of VABYSMO.
Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects to Genentech at 1-888-835-2555.
Please see the VABYSMO full Prescribing Information for additional Important Safety Information.
VABYSMO and the VABYSMO logo are registered trademarks of Genentech, Inc.
© 2025 Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080-4990.
All rights reserved.
M-US-00028230(v1.0) 08/25
Posted Sep 2, 2025, 3:36 PM UTC · locked