Several studies have evaluated Lucentis as a wet
macular degeneration treatment. Some studies compared Lucentis injections to placebo injections (an injection without any active ingredient) or to a certain type of
photodynamic therapy (PDT) commonly used to treat the condition.
Studies showed that Lucentis was significantly more effective than placebo injections or PDT. In fact, up to 40 percent of those receiving injections for a year had significant vision improvement, compared to just 5 percent for placebo and 6 percent for PDT.
When and How to Take Lucentis
General considerations for when and how to take Lucentis include the following:
- The medication is injected into the eye on a monthly basis by your healthcare provider.
- Your eye(s) will be cleansed to prevent infection and numbed before the injection. While you should feel no pain, you may feel a little pressure.
- You should have someone drive you home after your injection, as your eye(s) will be dilated during the procedure (which temporarily affects your vision).
- For the medication to work properly, it must be used as prescribed. Lucentis will not work if you stop taking it.
Dosing Information for Lucentis
The dose of Lucentis that your healthcare provider recommends will vary, depending on a number of factors, including:
- How you respond to Lucentis
- Other medications you may be taking
- Other medical conditions you may have.
As is always the case, do not adjust your dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.