Lucentis

Generic Name: Ranibizumab
Product Name: Lucentis

Indication of Lucentis
Action of Lucentis
Dose advice of Lucentis
Schedule of Lucentis
Common side effects of Lucentis
Uncommon side effects of Lucentis

Indication of Lucentis:

Lucentis is a medicine used to maintain or improve the vision of adults with:

Neovascular (sometimes called wet) age-related macular degeneration;
Diabetic macular oedema; and
Macular oedema occurring secondary to retinal vein occlusion (blockage of the vein that carries blood from the eye's retina).

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Action of Lucentis:

Age-related macular degeneration is thought to be caused (at least in part) by:

Each of these processes occur when a growth factor known as human vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) binds to its receptors, known as VEGF-1 and VEGF-2. The active ingredient in Lucentis, ranibizumab, is an antibody that binds to VEGF-A, preventing it from binding to its usual receptors. This in turn prevents neovascular leakage, neovascularisation and prolific endothelial cell growth.

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Dose advice of Lucentis:

Dose information

Lucentis is administered by injection into the eye. It must only be administered in a health facility by a trained health professional.

Individuals receiving Lucentis treatment typically have monthly injections. This time frame is most effective in preventing or reversing the symptoms of age-related macular degeneration. However, some individuals may be unable to attend a health facility every month to have the injection administered (e.g. because they live in a remote area), and in these cases injections are sometimes given every three months.

All individuals who receive an injection of Lucentis must apply antimicrobial eye drops at home, four times a day, for three days before and three days after the injection to reduce the risk of infection.

Immediately before the injection, the doctor will sterilise and anaesthetise the eye. They will inject the correct dose of Lucentis into the eye, then apply anti-microbial drops. Only one eye is injected each time the person attends the health facility, as it is not known whether or not it is safe to inject both eyes at the same time.

Your doctor will provide you with information about the symptoms of adverse effects associated with Lucentis treatment, including:¹

Endophthalmitis (inflammation of the fluid-filled cavities of the eye);
Intraocular inflammation (inflammation inside the eye);
Retinal detachment (separation of the retina from its supporting layers);
Retinal tear (a tear or hole in the retina through which fluid may leak);
Iatrogenic traumatic cataract (cataract occurring as a result of injury during a medical procedure); and
Increased intraocular pressure (increased pressure in the eye).

Your doctor may also provide you with the contact details of a health professional to contact if you experience symptoms of these adverse events. Seek immediate medical attention if your eye becomes inflamed or infected, or if you notice changes in your vision.

Be aware that your vision may be distorted immediately after the Lucentis injection and may impair your ability to drive. Do not drive a car or use machinery until your normal vision is restored.

The duration of treatment depends on the condition Lucentis is being used to treat. For diabetic macular oedema and macular oedema secondary to retinal vein occlusion, treatment should continue until your visual acuity has been stable for three months.

Contraindications

Lucentis should not be used by people with certain conditions. Tell your doctor if you have:

Allergy to any of the medicine's ingredients;
Infection in the eye or surrounding tissues;
Inflamed eye.

Precautions

Doctors take precautions when prescribing and administering medicines in order to minimise the risk of any individual experiencing serious side effects. Monitoring for the occurrence of side effects in the week after treatment is one of the precautions doctors will take when treating you with Lucentis. Your doctor may need to monitor your eyes in the hour following administration of Lucentis, as well as in the week after you are treated. Be sure to return for monitoring if your doctor advises you to do so.

Lucentis should only be used to treat one eye at a time. Special consideration is needed for the use of Lucentis under certain conditions. Tell your doctor if you:

Have a history of stroke;
Are a sexually active woman of reproductive age and are not using contraception.

Diabetic macular oedema

If you are being treated for diabetic macular oedema, tell your doctor if you have:

Type 1 diabetes;
Previously been treated with intravitreal injection;
An infection;
Proliferative diabetic retinopathy;
Another condition that affects your eyes, such as retinal detachment (when the eye's retina detaches from the surrounding tissues) or macular hole (a tear in the eye's macula);
High blood sugar levels; and/or
Uncontrolled hypertension.

Your doctor may need to exercise extra precautions when treating you with Lucentis.

Use in pregnancy

Lucentis is a Pregnancy Category D medication. Lucentis No studies have been conducted to determine whether or not this medication is safe for use during pregnancy. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Women should use contraception to avoid falling pregnant within three months of their last Lucentis treatment.

Use in breastfeeding

It is not known whether or not Lucentis is safe to use while breastfeeding. Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed.

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Schedule of Lucentis:

Lucentis is a Schedule 4 medicine.¹

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Common side effects of Lucentis:

All medicines can have side effects. Most commonly the side effects are minor; however, some can be more serious. Usually the benefits of taking a medication outweigh the associated side effects. Your doctor would have considered these side effects before starting you on Lucentis.

The side effects of Lucentis mainly affect an individual's eyes and are sometimes serious. Seek immediate medical attention if your eye becomes inflamed or infected, or if you notice changes in your vision.

Very common side effects

Very common side effects are those that occur in more than 10% of people given Lucentis. These include:

Potentially serious eye conditions

Detachment of the vitreous;
Bleeding of the retina;
Inflammation of the eye;
Increased pressure in the eye.

Other eye conditions

Bleeding of the conjunctiva;
Eye pain;
Vitreous floaters;
Irritation of the eye;
Feeling of having a foreign body in the eye;
Increased production and secretion of tears;
Visual disturbance;
Inflammation of the eyelids;
Excessive blood in the eye;
Dry eye;
Inflammation of the vitreous;
Irritation of the skin surrounding the eye;

Other conditions

Common side effects

Common side effects are those that occur in 1–10% of people given Lucentis. These include:

Serious eye conditions

Retinal detachment;
Retinal tear;
Detachment of the retinal pigment epithelium;
Retinal pigment epithelium tear;

Other eye conditions

Eye discomfort;
Eyelid swelling;
Eyelid pain;
Excessive blood in the conjunctiva;
Posterior capsule opacification;
Inflammation of the cornea;
Corneal abrasion;
Anterior chamber flare;
Injection site bleeding;
Blurred vision
Eye bleeding;
Conjunctivitis;
Allergic conjunctivitis;
Eye discharge;
Photopsia;
Photophobia;
Retinal degeneration;
Retinal bleeding;
Bleeding in the vitreous;
Vitreous disorder;
Uveitis;
Inflammation of the iris;
Inflammation of the iris and ciliary body;
Cataract;
Subcapsular cataract.

Other conditions

Influenza;
Cough;
Nausea;
Allergic skin reactions;
Anxiety;
Anaemia;
Stroke.

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Uncommon side effects of Lucentis:

Side effects that occur in less than 1% of people given Lucentis are considered uncommon. People do not necessarily experience any of these side effects, so do not become alarmed by this list:

Serious eye conditions