What is Ranibizumab?

Ranibizumab is used to treat neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is a disorder of the retina in the eye that causes blurring of vision or blindness. Ranibizumab works by changing the amount of blood that gets to the eye.

Ranibizumab is also used to treat myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV).

Ranibizumab is used to treat macular edema (swelling of the back of the eye) after retinal vein occlusion (a blood vessel in the eye is blocked). It is also used in diabetic patients who have diabetic macular edema (DME). Macular edema can cause loss of vision. This medicine is also used to treat diabetic retinopathy (eye problem caused by diabetes).

This medicine is to be given only by or under the direct supervision of your doctor.

An eye doctor will give you this medicine as a shot into the eye.

This medicine is usually given once a month (about every 28 days). In some patients, it may be given once every 3 months after the first 4 injections.

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of ranibizumab in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of ranibizumab in the elderly.

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Tofacitinib

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Eye infection or
• Infection around the eye—Should not be used in patients with these conditions.

• Glaucoma—Use with caution. May make this condition worse.

Your eye doctor will want to check your progress at regular visits, especially during the first few days after you receive this medicine.

Serious eye problems may occur with this medicine. Check with your eye doctor right away if your eye becomes red, sensitive to light, or painful, or if you have a change in vision several days after you receive this medicine. Also, tell your eye doctor if you feel increased pressure in your eye.

This medicine may increase your risk of blood clots, heart attack, or stroke. Check with your doctor right away if you are having pain in your chest, groin, or legs, especially the calves, difficulty with breathing, a severe, sudden headache, slurred speech, sudden, unexplained shortness of breath, sudden loss of coordination, sudden, severe weakness or numbness in your arm or leg, or vision changes.