What Is mCNV?

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What is myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV)?

People with severe nearsightedness or pathologic myopia (PATH‐oh‐lodge‐ICK my‐oh‐PEE‐uh) have a lot of trouble seeing things that are far away. Myopia happens when the eye becomes more oval shaped than circular.

mCNV is a serious eye condition that can happen to about 1 in 10 people with severe myopia. In mCNV, abnormal blood vessels may start to grow in the back of the eye because of physical stress.

  • mCNV can happen in one or both eyes. About 1 out of 3 people (more than 30%) with mCNV in one eye will develop it in the other eye within 8 years


What are the symptoms of mCNV?

Visual symptoms of mCNV include:

  • Loss of vision or reduced vision
  • Blurred vision
  • Gray, black, or blind spot in the center of the visual field (scotoma)
  • Wavy or distorted lines (metamorphopsia)

Healthy Eye

Healthy Eye

What are the risk factors for mCNV?

Risk factors include:

Nearsightedness
Nearsightedness

Having severe myopia (severe nearsightedness)

Old age
Older Age

Older age (mCNV has been observed to be more common after 40)

Being female
Being Female

Being female (women have a 2x higher risk for mCNV than men)

East Asian Descent
East Asian Descent

Higher rates of mCNV have been observed in people of East Asian descent.

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Make a Retina Specialist Appointment

If you think you are experiencing problems with vision from mCNV, make an appointment with a Retina Specialist right away.

Find a Retina Specialist


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 myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV).

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.

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.