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Getting diagnosed with RVO

When it comes to examining and treating vision, there are different types of eye doctors. Learn about the role of each doctor below and how he or she can help you with your RVO.

Optometrist
If you wear eyeglasses or contact lenses, you've probably seen an optometrist for routine eye exams or to prescribe corrective lenses.

Ophthalmologist
An ophthalmologist specializes in diseases and surgery of the eye and may be the first one to diagnose your RVO. You may also be referred to a Retina Specialist for additional tests and treatment.

Retina Specialist
A Retina Specialist is a surgeon who specializes in treating a range of diseases of the back of the eye (or retina). He or she is an ophthalmologist with an additional 1 to 2 years of specialty training.

For someone with RVO, it is important to see a Retina Specialist on a regular basis in order to receive the most up-to-date and appropriate care for your condition.


Testing your vision

There are a variety of tests your Retina Specialist may use to evaluate and monitor your condition, including:

Retinal Occlusion Eye Chart and Exams   Eye exams and eye charts
Eye exams are performed to detect RVO. Eye charts, also known as visual acuity tests, are used throughout treatment and follow-up care to measure how well you can see.
     
Fluorescein Angiogram   Dye tests
Your Retina Specialist may perform a fluorescein angiogram to take photos of the blood flow within your eye. A dye (fluorescein) is injected into your arm and pictures are taken as the dye passes through your eye's blood vessels. This test can help evaluate your condition and determine the course of your treatment.
     
Optical Scans to Detect Macular Edema   Optical scans
Your Retina Specialist may also take detailed cross-sectional images of your retina. These images are referred to as OCT scans. They are used to detect and measure fluid buildup (macular edema) and monitor the disease.

Other tests your Retina Specialist may perform include visual field tests that check your peripheral (or side) vision, and tests using an ophthalmoscope, an instrument that looks at the back of your eye and can help evaluate the severity of the blockage.


Who is LUCENTIS for?

LUCENTIS® (ranibizumab injection) is a prescription medicine for the treatment of patients with macular edema following retinal vein occlusion (RVO).

What important safety information should I know about LUCENTIS?

LUCENTIS is a prescription medication given by injection into the eye, and it has side effects. Some LUCENTIS patients have had detached retinas and serious infections inside the eye. You should not use LUCENTIS if you have an infection in or around the eye or are allergic to LUCENTIS or any of its ingredients.

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

Some patients have had increased eye pressure within 1 hour of an injection.

Serious side effects include inflammation inside the eye and, rarely, problems related to the injection procedure, such as cataracts. These side effects can make your vision worse.

The most common eye-related side effects are increased redness in the white of the eye, eye pain, small specks in vision, and the feeling that something is in the eye. The most common non–eye-related side effects are nose and throat infections, headache, and lung/airway infections.

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

For additional safety information, please talk to your doctor and see the LUCENTIS full prescribing information.