FAQs

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease. It occurs when blood vessels in the back of the eye are weakened by diabetes. They begin to leak blood and fluid in the retina.

DME occurs in people who have leaky blood vessels in the retina. This is known as diabetic retinopathy. DME happens when these damaged blood vessels leak fluid into the macula. This causes the macula to swell. This swelling is known as DME and can cause blurry, washed-out vision.

LUCENTIS is the first and only FDA-approved medicine for the treatment of patients with Diabetic Macular Edema (DME). It is also indicated to treat Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (wet AMD) and Macular Edema following Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO).

An eye with DME contains extra amounts of a protein called VEGF-A. It is one of the causes of the growth of leaky, abnormal blood vessels. LUCENTIS is designed to block this protein. That's why it is known as an anti-VEGF medicine.

By blocking VEGF-A, LUCENTIS may prevent damaged vessels from leaking fluid into the macula. This can reduce swelling.

LUCENTIS was designed specifically for use in the eye. It was also designed so the body can remove it quickly when it leaves the eye.

Some LUCENTIS patients have serious side effects related to the injection. These include:

• Serious infections inside the eye
• Detached retinas
• Cataracts

Other uncommon serious side effects include:

• Inflammation inside the eye
• Increased eye pressure

These can make your vision worse. Some patients have increases in eye pressure within 1 hour of an injection. Your eye doctor should check your eye pressure and eye health during the week after your LUCENTIS injection.

Uncommonly, LUCENTIS patients have had serious, sometimes fatal, problems related to blood clots, such as heart attacks or strokes.

If your eye becomes red, sensitive to light, painful, or has a change in vision, you should call or visit your eye doctor right away.

The most common eye-related side effects are:

• Increased redness in the whites of your eye
• Cataract
• Increased eye pressure

The most common non–eye-related side effects are:

• Nose and throat infections
• Anemia
• Nausea

People who have an infection in or around the eye or are allergic to LUCENTIS or any of its ingredients should not use LUCENTIS.

There is no cure for DME. But LUCENTIS may help you manage it and improve your vision.

Over 60% of people with DME have it in both eyes. If your Retina Specialist notices DME in both eyes, he or she may treat both eyes.

• You may have some redness on the white part of your eye at the injection site
• You may see a few specks in your vision
• Your Retina Specialist may give you antibiotic eye drops to use for a few days after the injection to help prevent infection
• Ask your Retina Specialist if there are activities you should avoid
• If your eye becomes red, sensitive to light, painful, or has a change in vision, you should seek immediate care from your Retina Specialist

There are other side effects you may experience. Please see Important Safety Information to learn more about other side effects.

Individual results may vary. Talk to your doctor about your treatment and what to expect.

The LUCENTIS PATIENT SUPPORT PROGRAM is a free program offering you information on your LUCENTIS treatment, managing your DME, and lifestyle tips. You can receive the information through the mail and e-mail.

Learn more about the LUCENTIS PATIENT SUPPORT PROGRAM.

At Genentech, we believe all medicines should be accessible to the patients who need them. So we've created 2 different types of support.

LUCENTIS Access Solutions is for people who have questions about their insurance, are on Medicare, or have no insurance.

The LUCENTIS Co-Pay Card Program is only for patients with “commercial” or “private” insurance. This means that if you have government-funded insurance, such as Medicare or Medicaid, you are not currently eligible for the Card. This program can help reduce out-of-pockets costs for eligible LUCENTIS patients, regardless of income.

If you are eligible, the Card acts just like extra insurance and can cover up to 80% of the cost of LUCENTIS not covered by your insurance.

Learn more about insurance coverage and payment options.