Lucentis Injections Improve Vision in Patients With Age Related Macular Degeneration

Lucentis is an anti VEGF injection designed to treat wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Multiple randomised controlled trials have demonstrated its efficacy at improving vision in those suffering from wet AMD.

Treatment for wet AMD involves monthly injections into each eye. Patients suffering from wet AMD typically have elevated levels of vascular endothelial growth factor which promotes new blood vessel growth that causes macular edema in RVO patients.

What is Lucentis?

Age related macular degeneration, in its wet form, is a serious eye disease which can quickly lead to blindness. Driving, reading and performing daily activities without assistance becomes nearly impossible as vision loss quickly worsens over time.

LUCENTIS is an injection that can be used to slow the progression of macular degeneration. It works by injecting ranibizumab directly into your eye to block abnormal blood vessel growth that causes leakage and damage to retina, leading to macular degeneration. As this humanized antibody fragment was designed specifically for wet macular degeneration, monthly visits with your ophthalmologist or healthcare provider trained in its administration is required in order to take full effect.

At present, there are two medications approved to treat wet AMD: Avastin and Lucentis. Of the two treatments available for wet AMD treatment, Avastin is widely prescribed – it ranks first on many countries’ lists – while Lucentis remains less widely utilized; however a recent Cochrane systematic review revealed no significant difference in effectiveness or safety between Avastin and Lucentis.

Lucentis was approved for treating wet AMD in diabetic retinopathy patients based on results of two studies, BRAVO and CRUISE, conducted during 2014-15. Participants who received monthly injections of Lucentis saw greater improvements in their best corrected visual acuity compared with those given a placebo injection.

During this procedure, pain-relieving drops will be administered to numb the eye. A device may also be placed to keep eyelids open as an injection is delivered into the white portion of your eyeball (sclera). Most people experience no discomfort from this process and should recover quickly afterwards. After being examined and receiving antibiotic drops as required before drapes can be removed.

After treatment, it is normal to experience some mild sensitivity, redness and floaters in your vision; these side effects should resolve themselves over time. Most individuals require three injections spaced four weeks apart for maximum benefits.

How does Lucentis work?

Lucentis works by blocking the formation of new blood vessels while attenuating leaky ones in the retina. It belongs to a class of medications called vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) antagonists; injection directly into the eye works by binding with chemicals that promote abnormal vessel growth in wet macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy as well as myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV).

Macular Edema, an eye condition related to diabetes, occurs when light-sensitive retinal blood vessels begin to proliferate and leak fluid into the macula, leading to distortions or blurriness of vision, distortion and blurriness; without treatment this could even result in permanent blindness. Treatment options available include laser surgery, photodynamic therapy or medications which block new blood vessel formation.

Lucentis is one of a family of drugs called anti-VEGF injections that works by counteracting an action taken by proteins within our bodies that stimulate blood vessel growth, such as those seen with wet macular degeneration and other eye conditions. Patients receiving monthly anti-VEGF injections tend to stabilize their vision more quickly while some even show significant visual improvements over time. Studies have proven this effective treatment option.

Contrary to earlier treatments like laser surgery and photodynamic therapy, medications do not effectively address wet macular degeneration. Stopping receiving regular injections could reactivate abnormal blood vessels leading to further vision loss; while they will likely not improve central vision they could improve peripheral vision quality.

Your ophthalmologist will first clean around your eye with dilute iodine solution to minimize infection risk. Next, they’ll insert a metal speculum and use a fine needle to inject your medication directly into the centre of the vitreous gel – this may produce small bubbles of light upon injection which should quickly disappear afterward. Most people require three injections at four-week intervals.

What are the side effects of Lucentis?

Studies conducted recently demonstrated that Lucentis and Avastin, two injectable treatments available, are nearly equally effective at improving vision in those suffering from age-related macular degeneration. Patients enrolled in Oregon Health & Science University’s Casey Eye Institute studies who received Lucentis saw an average improvement of 18.3 letters on average while those given Avastin gained only 7.3 letters on average. This research study involved over 600 participants across several centers.

Neovascular Age Related Macular Degeneration (neovascular AMD) causes abnormal blood vessels to form at the back of the eye and leak fluid and damage vision. Lucentis blocks vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), an activator thought to promote new vessel growth that leaks fluid and causes damage, by inhibiting its action; when administered intravitreally it helps decrease blurry or distorted vision that arises as these new blood vessels form.

Patients suffering from wet macular degeneration can enjoy enhanced detailed vision when given regular injections of lucentis as part of an injection regime. Most patients require three injections monthly followed by a review visit four weeks post third injection; some individuals may require more regular treatments depending on how their body responds and any recurrence of disease activity.

Eye injection procedures are generally fast, easy and painless. For your comfort during this procedure you will be seated comfortably in a semi-reclined position while your face and area around your eye is draped for sterility. Pain relieving eyedrops are then administered before an injection is made into the white portion of your eyeball with a fine needle; typically taking only 15-20 seconds without feeling an injection! After the procedure you should use antibiotic eyedrops as preventive measure in order to keep from getting water into your eyes during subsequent occasions.

Complications, though unlikely, may include haemorrhaging in the jelly of the eye, blockage of retinal circulation and increased pressure in the eye. Other side effects may include eye pain, floaters and changes in vision that typically improve with time.

What is the cost of Lucentis?

Lucentis (also known as ranibizumab) is an intravitreal injection used to help reduce vision loss from wet macular degeneration, an age-related eye condition affecting older adults. It does this by slowing abnormal blood vessel growth that leaks fluid and causes damage. Lucentis belongs to a class of medications called anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents that also include Avastin and Eylea for treating more serious forms of AMD.

Researchers conducted a clinical trial and discovered that Lucentis significantly enhanced central detailed vision for those suffering from wet macular degeneration, helping prevent further vision loss from the condition and also helping preserve central detailed vision for long-term. Unfortunately, however, its cost can be prohibitive for many in Canada; consequently the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) released their Market Intelligence Report series for anti-VEGF agents as an effort to help address this challenge.

Report findings revealed that Lucentis costs over $2,000 for one dose. This price is significantly higher than Avastin, an anti-VEGF medication approved to treat cancer but often used off-label for treating retinal diseases such as macular degeneration. According to PMPRB experts, such high costs of Lucentis were unreasonable because its superior effectiveness at improving visual acuity had yet to be demonstrated in comparison.

When treating wet macular degeneration, doctors typically recommend a combination of therapies – including regular visits for injections of Lucentis. Attendance at these visits can help reduce further vision loss. Furthermore, it’s important to abide by any advice from their eye doctor regarding diet and exercise changes.

The Lucentis Patient Support Program offers patients living with wet macular degeneration a way to afford their medications more easily, by offering free enrollment, access to a Lucentis Specialist who can answer questions regarding wet macular degeneration and Lucentis, and connecting patients with financial assistance programs. To find out more, visit Genentech, manufacturer of Lucentis.