What Is Lucentis?

Lucentis is a medicine injected into the eye for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Lucentis has not been studied in children.

Who Should Not Be Treated With Lucentis?

You should not be given Lucentis if you have any of the following conditions:

• if you are allergic to Lucentis or any of its ingredients
• if you have an infection in or around the eye

What Are The Risks?

The following are the major potential risks and side effects of Lucentis therapy.  However, this list is not complete.

• Serious eye infection
• Detached retina
• Increases in eye pressure
• Blood clots and bleeding in the eye  
• Inflammation inside the eye

Call your eye doctor right away if your eye becomes sensitive to light, painful, or you develop a change in vision during treatment with Lucentis.

Your eye doctor will carefully monitor your eye right after your injection and during the week following your injection.

• Some common side effects that may occur with Lucentis include:

• blood in the eye
• red eye
• eye pain
• small specks in your vision

What Should I Tell My Ophthalmologist (Eye Surgeon)?

Before you start taking Lucentis, tell your ophthalmologist if you:

• are trying to become pregnant, are already pregnant, or are breast-feeding
• are allergic to Lucentis or to any of the ingredients in Lucentis

Can Other Medicines Or Food Affect Lucentis?

Lucentis and certain other medicines can interact with each other.  Some patients have developed a serious eye inflammation when receiving treatment with both Lucentis and verteporfin (Visudyne) photodynamic therapy (PDT). 

Tell your eye surgeon about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines including aspirin, vitamins, and herbal supplements.  Some medicines may affect how Lucentis works or Lucentis may affect how your other medicines work.  Know the medicines you take.  Keep a list of them with you to show your ophthalmologist.  

How Do I Receive Lucentis?

• Lucentis is usually injected into the eye once a month. 
• Lucentis may be injected into the eye once every 3 months after the first 4 monthly injections, if once a month injections are not possible.  This dosing schedule is less effective in treating wet age-related macular degeneration.

Date Approved:  June 30, 2006

Date created: September12, 2006