Lucentis, a prescription medication formulated for the treatment of Wet Age-Related Macular degeneration(Wet ARMD) recently, received approval for treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema from the Federal drug Administration(FDA).

The usage of Lucentis (generic name ranibizumab) in two controlled research studies treating Diabetic Macular Edema resulted in marked improvement of visual acuity of approximately 15 letters on an eye chart test preformed from a distance of four meters.

The thirty-six month studies followed approximately one thousand five hundred individuals between the ages of twenty-one and ninety-one with an average age of sixty-two years. Seventy-seven percent of the individuals participating in the research study completed all thirty-six months of the study.

The studies were randomized and sham controlled with some individuals receiving different amounts of lucentis. All individuals in the study were allowed to receive macular focal/grid laser or panretinal photocoagulation treatments as needed.

Treatment using Lucentis includes the following:

1) Neovascular (Wet) Aged-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

2) Macular Edema following Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO)

3) 1.3 Diabetic Macular Edema (DME)

Important Information Concerning Lucentis:

Lucentis is administrated as an injection that can cause some reactions that should be monitored. The list of possible reactions includes:

1. Endophthalmitis – eye becomes red, painful, noticeable change in vision or sensitive to light. Indicates the development of an infection and requires immediate care from an Ophthalmologist.

2. Retinal detachment can occur during administration of the medication.

3. A change in the Intraocular Pressure was noted during instances of treatment while completing the research studies. Eye pressure should be monitored pre and post injection for approximately sixty minutes.

4. Some patients suffer an allergic reaction that requires monitoring. The reaction to Lucentis causes severe intraocular inflammation. The inflammation affects the sinuses and can lead to nose, throat and bronchial infection.

Lucentis Use with Targeted Populations:

A( Pregnant women – no studies completed involved pregnant women.

B (Nursing mothers – no information is available involving the use of Lucentis with nursing mothers.

C( Pediatrics – None of the research completed involved children.

D (Geriatric – research revealed that age did not have any significant difference in the results of using Lucentis for the indicated treatment regimen.

**Fatal events were recorded during the three year research studies of the use of Lucentis for treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema. No direct link to the use of Lucentis was discovered as the only cause of the fatal event. A connection between patients dealing with advance diabetes along with other medical issues and the use of Lucentis was possible as cause of the fatal events.

Lucentis Support Group:

Support groups online are available for individuals interested in talking to people who have gone through the treatment of an eye condition using Lucentis. The support group is a great source of information and a great place to ask questions.

Editor’s Note:

I have not received Lucentis treatments. The article is to provide information for readers interested in learning about Lucentis. I recommend anyone interested should talk with a trusted eye doctor.

**Remember Macular diseases do not reveal symptoms before an advanced state of the condition. Anyone sixty years of age or older, dealing with Diabetes or a family history of Macular disease should have a comprehensive eye exam yearly unless otherwise directed by an eye doctor.