Ranibizumab

Ranibizumab is a prescription medicine used for treating an eye condition called age-related wet macular degeneration. It is also approved to treat macular edema. With regular use, vision loss and macular damage can be slowed down or even reversed. This medication is injected into the eye once a month by a healthcare professional.

What Is Ranibizumab?

Ranibizumab (Lucentis®) is a prescription medication used to treat certain eye conditions. Specifically, the drug is approved to treat:
 
  • One of the types of age-related macular degeneration called "wet" macular degeneration
  • Macular edema caused by retinal vein occlusion.
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(Click What Is Ranibizumab Used For? for more information, including possible off-label uses.)
 

Are There Side Effects?

As with any medicine, side effects are possible with ranibizumab. However, not everyone who takes the drug will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or can easily be treated by you or your healthcare provider. Serious side effects are less common.
 
Common side effects of ranibizumab include but are not limited to:
 
  • Redness or blood spots on the white part of the eye
  • Eye pain
  • Specks in your vision.
     
(Click Side Effects of Ranibizumab to learn more, including potentially serious side effects that you should report immediately to your healthcare provider.)
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD
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