About Injection FAQs

You may have already received a LUCENTIS treatment. If not, you should know that LUCENTIS is given as an injection into the eye. Feeling anxious about treatment is normal. Remember, if you have diabetic retinopathy (DR) or diabetic macular edema (DME), having more information about what to expect with treatment can help put you at ease.

Side effects have been seen with LUCENTIS, including serious eye infections and detached retinas. Before receiving injections, review the Important Safety Information and see the full Prescribing Information associated with LUCENTIS.

To learn more about what to expect before and during your LUCENTIS injection and for tips to stay calm during injection, visit the Before and During Injection page.

Before your appointment, there are a few things you may do ahead of time to help make it a smoother experience:

  • Create a list of all of the current prescriptions and other medications (like vitamins) you are taking
  • Block off several hours before and after the procedure to give yourself ample time
  • Feeling nervous? Schedule an early appointment so that treatment-day nerves can't build up
  • Arrange for transportation to/from your appointment

At your appointment, your Retina Specialist may:

  • Ask you to read an eye chart
  • Give you eye drops
  • Perform tests to check the condition of your eye

These activities may make your LUCENTIS experience more comfortable. Be sure to talk to your Retina Specialist about any discomfort you feel when receiving LUCENTIS.

Headphones

Music

Listening to music can calm your nerves and ease your mind. Ask your doctor if you can bring your own music player to treatment

Breathing

Breathing Techniques

Doing breathing techniques can help you relax and reduce stress levels

Equal breathing

Breathe in through your nose over a count of 4:

“1, 2, 3, 4.”

Then breathe out through your nose over another count of 4.

And repeat the 8‐count exercise as many times as you feel you need. This will help balance your body.

Alternate breathing

Hold your right thumb over your right nostril and breathe in through your nose.

At the height of the breath, take your thumb off your right nostril and hold your index finger over your left nostril.

Exhale and repeat the exercise by alternating your thumb and index finger.

Relaxation

Relaxation Techniques

Doing relaxation techniques can help you relax and reduce stress levels

Progressive relaxation

With your eyes closed, focus on contracting different muscle groups for 2‐3 seconds, then relaxing.

Start with your feet and toes, move up to your knees, thighs, rear, chest, arms, hands, neck, jaw, and blinking your eyes. Maintain deep, slow breaths the entire time.

Knowing what to expect at the Retina Specialist's office can help ease your mind.

During the injection, your Retina Care Team will do everything they can to help make you feel more comfortable, including:

  • Cleaning the area around your eye and using a tool to gently hold it open
  • Eye drops to numb your eye before the injection
  • Always follow your Retina Specialist's instructions
  • Use eye drops if they are prescribed to you by your Retina Specialist
  • Ask your Retina Specialist if you should avoid any particular activities
  • Have someone drive you home
  • Wear sunglasses if your eyes feel sensitive to light
  • Try to rest your eyes as much as possible (for at least a few hours)
  • 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
Financial Assistance Options

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.

Important Safety Information & Indication

Who is LUCENTIS for? LUCENTIS® (ranibizumab injection) is a prescription medicine for the treatment of patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic macular edema (DME).

What important safety information should I know about LUCENTIS? 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. 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 eye 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. 

Some LUCENTIS patients have had increases in eye pressure before and within 1 hour of an injection.

Uncommonly, LUCENTIS patients have had serious, sometimes fatal, problems related to blood clots, such as heart attacks or strokes. Fatal events were seen more often in patients with DME and DR with LUCENTIS compared with patients who did not receive LUCENTIS. Although there were only few fatal events which included causes of death typical of patients with advanced diabetic complications, these events may be caused by LUCENTIS.

Severe inflammation of vessels in the retina has happened for patients treated with LUCENTIS. Call your healthcare provider immediately if you experience a change in vision.

Some LUCENTIS patients have serious side effects related to the injection. These include serious infections inside the eye, detached retinas, and cataracts. The most common eye-related side effects are increased redness in the white of the eye, eye pain, small specks in vision, and increased eye pressure. The most common non–eye-related side effects are nose and throat infections, anemia, nausea and cough. Ask your doctor if you have questions or want more information.

You may report side effects to the FDA at (800) FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. You may also report side effects to Genentech at (888) 835-2555.

For additional Safety Information, please talk to your doctor and see the LUCENTIS full Prescribing Information.