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FOR CAREGIVERS

Caring for someone with wet AMD

Maybe your wife, mother, grandfather, friend, or neighbor is living with wet AMD. No matter what your relationship may be, consider yourself a caregiver. So it's important to understand that wet AMD is a chronic condition that requires long-term treatment. You should also understand the results they can expect with LUCENTIS. Additionally, you should know that wet AMD can have an emotional impact on your loved one, so any sort of support, help, or kind gestures may go a long way.

Living with low vision: practical tips for around the house
Consider your loved one's home. Is it accessible enough for them? Is the furniture spaced out enough in each room so they can move around without harm? Should there be more contrast with objects in the kitchen so they can cook? Perhaps it's worth buying a roll of white tape so you can label kitchen and other household items clearly with a thick black marker.

Make sure it's large
Remember, aging eyes have a better chance of being able to see things that are large. And there are lots of large-buttoned items available, like large-buttoned telephones, remote controls, and alarm clocks—to name a few. Check with your local drugstore or pharmacy to see if they have any large items in stock. You may also be able to find large-print crossword puzzle books, or large-print greeting cards, so why not send a quick note in the mail to your friend or family member?

Caring for someone with wet AMD means you need to take care of yourself too. Here are some useful tips, according to the National Family Caregivers Association.

  • Educate yourself about your loved one's condition and how to communicate effectively with doctors
  • Trust your instincts. Most of the time they'll lead you in the right direction
  • Seek support from other caregivers. There is great strength in knowing you are not alone
  • When people offer to help, accept the offer and suggest specific things that they can do
  • Watch out for signs of depression, and don't delay in getting professional help when you or your loved one needs it

Who is LUCENTIS for?

LUCENTIS® (ranibizumab injection) is a prescription medicine for the treatment of patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

What important safety information should I know about LUCENTIS?

Like any prescription medication, LUCENTIS is not for everyone. You should not use LUCENTIS if you have an infection in or around the eye.

Like other injections given into the eye, serious eye infection (endophthalmitis) and detached retina have occurred with LUCENTIS. Increases in eye pressure have been seen within 1 hour of an injection. Your eye doctor should monitor your eye pressure and eye health during the week after the injection.

If your eye becomes red, sensitive to light, painful, or has a change in vision, you should seek immediate care from your eye doctor.

Although uncommon, conditions associated with eye- and non-eye-related blood clots (arterial thromboembolic events) may occur.

Serious side effects related to the injection procedure 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 your eye, and increased tears. The most common non-eye-related side effects were nose and throat infection, headache, and respiratory and urinary tract infections.

LUCENTIS is for prescription use only. Individual results with LUCENTIS may vary.