Lucentis®

How does Lucentis work?
In order to grow, abnormal blood vessels need a chemical called VEGF that is naturally produced by your body . Lucentis blocks VEGF, slowing the growth of blood vessels in the eye. Drugs that block VEGF are called anti-VEGF drugs.

What conditions are treated with Lucentis?
Lucentis is used to treat the following eye problems:

wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
swelling of the retina, called macular edema
diabetic retinopathy
retinal vein occlusion
abnormal blood vessels from nearsightedness (also known as myopic macular neovascular membranes)
What happens during Lucentis treatment?
During an outpatient procedure, your ophthalmologist first numbs the eye to block pain. Then your doctor injects the Lucentis directly into your eye.

Before the procedure, your ophthalmologist will clean your eye to prevent infection and numb your eye with medicine. A very thin needle is passed through the white part of your eye and the drug is injected. Usually you do not see the needle itself. You may need to continue having these injections over many months.

Sometimes ophthalmologists combine Lucentis with other treatments for the best chance of saving your vision.

What are the risks of Lucentis treatment?
Every treatment can have side effects. It is important to understand the benefits and risks of any treatment you might have.

Common side effects include:

eye redness
feeling like something is in your eye
dry or itchy eyes
eye discomfort
temporarily blurry vision
floaters
Any eye injection, including Lucentis, may cause these problems, which are very rare:

being extra sensitive to light
eye pain
swelling inside the eye
eye infection
detached retina (where the retina lifts up from the back of the eye)
cataracts (clouding of the eye’s normally clear lens)

For about 24 hours after injection, it is normal to feel like there is something in the eye, and to have mild eye pain and light sensitivity if your pupil was dilated. If these or any other side effects last longer, please contact your ophthalmologist right away. Eye redness or a bloody eye can last for a few days.

If you have any questions about your eyes or your vision, be sure to ask. Your ophthalmologist is committed to protecting your sight.