LUCENTIS is a prescription medicine that is designed to block vascular endothelial (VASS‐cue‐ler end‐oh‐THEEL‐e‐ull) growth factor, or VEGF (vej‐EFF), from inside the eye. It was approved in 2010 to treat macular edema caused by retinal vein occlusion (RVO).
What is VEGF and how does LUCENTIS address it?
The eye contains a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor, or VEGF. The role of VEGF is to help grow new blood vessels.
Macular edema following retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is caused by an excess of VEGF in addition to vessel blockages. This leads to the abnormal blood vessel growth that can cause vision problems
The vision problems a retinal vein occlusion patient may experience will depend on which retinal vein blockage a patient is suffering from
Eye With VEGF
What is visual acuity and how does LUCENTIS address it?
Your doctor can detect changes or problems in your vision with a visual acuity test. Visual acuity tests find the smallest letters you can see on a standard eye chart. Visual acuity is the sharpness of your vision.
Visual Acuity Chart
- The farther down an eye chart you can see, the higher your visual acuity
- Seeing more eye chart letters than before means that vision is getting better
- Seeing fewer eye chart letters than before means that vision is getting worse
Visual acuity is expressed as a fraction such as 20/40 or a single number such as 1.5.
- The lower the bottom number in the fraction, the sharper your distance vision
LUCENTIS may help people with macular edema following RVO see more letters on an eye chart. Learn more about how LUCENTIS may help.
A Retina Specialist can help
The effects of RVO may improve with treatment, but some damage may be permanent.
- Your vision will likely continue to get worse without treatment
- By starting treatment and sticking with your doctor’s plan, you take an important step in helping to manage your RVO
- If you think you are experiencing problems with vision from RVO, make an appointment with a Retina Specialist right away
Make a Retina Specialist Appointment
If you do not have a Retina Specialist, ask your ophthalmologist or primary care physician about a referral or use the Find a Retina Specialist tool.
Financial Assistance Options
There may be options to help you afford LUCENTIS, no matter what type of health insurance you have. Learn about Genentech Ophthalmology Access Solutions.