LUCENTIS

LUCENTIS is a new treatment approved by the FDA in July, 2006, for neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration(AMD).  Tampa Eye Clinic physicians have been using Lucentis since its involvement in the clinical study which resulted in FDA approval.  The wet form of macular degeneration is caused by abnormal growth of blood vessels in the retina that leak blood and cause damage to light-sensitive cells. Lucentis blocks abnormal blood vessel growth and leakage.

Benefits of LUCENTIS

With LUCENTIS, your vision may become less blurred or wavy. You may find it easier to recognize the faces of friends and family members. In clinical studies, many who took LUCENTIS monthly experienced a significant improvement of at least 3 more lines (15 letters) on the eye chart.

What to expect on treatment day

LUCENTIS is a drug that is injected into the eye once a month, or in some cases less often. This can be done in a doctor's office. Before your treatment, the area around your eye will be treated with an antibiotic and your eye will be numbed with anesthetic drops.

After your injection, you may have some redness at the site of the injection. Your doctor may give you antibiotic drops to prevent infection.

Realistic expectations

AMD is a chronic condition and there is no cure. LUCENTIS is used to manage the condition.

In clinical trials, serious side effects due to LUCENTIS were rare. These included serious eye infection, detached retina, and cataract. Other uncommon serious side effects included inflammation inside the eye and increased eye pressure.

The most common eye-related side effects were red eye, eye pain, small specks in vision, the feeling that something is in the eye, and increased tears. The most common non–eye-related side effects were high blood pressure, nose and throat infection, and headache.

With an injection, there’s always a small risk of infection. You should notify your doctor if your eye becomes red, sensitive to light, painful, or if you notice a change in vision.