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Macugen

Recently, the Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug called Macugen for the treatment of exudative age related macular degeneration, commonly referred to as “wet AMD”.  Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible severe vision loss in adults over the age of 55.  AMD is a disease affecting the retina, the inner lining of the eye responsible for sending messages to the brain, resulting in sight.  The macula is a part of the retina responsible for fine detailed vision needed for activities like driving, reading and recognizing faces.  AMD begins as a slow, progressive thinning of the tissue of the macula (dry form).  The dry form of AMD can progress to the wet form in about 10% of all cases.  The wet form causes sudden severe vision loss due to the invasion of the macula by leaking, fragile blood vessels.  The exact reason why these blood vessels grow is unclear, but it is believed to be related to a protein secreted in the retina.  Macugen works by blocking this protein, thereby preventing the blood vessel growth.

Macugen is injected into the cavity of the eye (vitreous) by an ophthalmologist and is slowly absorbed into the bloodstream.  The injection is given every 6 weeks for one year.  After the first year, your ophthalmologist will discuss the benefit of continuing the injections into the second year.   You should not receive Macugen if you have an eye or eyelid infection.  Tell your doctor if you are experiencing any eye discharge, itching burning or redness.

Macugen is not a cure for wet AMD.  Vision loss can still occur from the leaking blood vessesls.  But research has shown that patient’s receiving Macugen have a slower rate of vision loss than those not receiving Macugen.  A very small percentage of patients experienced improvement in vision.  But the goal of the Macugen injections is to preserve your existing vision.

Complications can occur after a Macugen injection.  A complete list of all possible complications is not listed here but the most serious include: infection inside the eye (endophthalmitis) that can lead to loss of the eye, increased intraocular pressure, vitreous hemorrhage, retinal detachment requiring surgical repair, and cataract.  Any pain, sensitivity to light, increased redness or decreased vision needs to be reported immediately to your ophthalmologist.  Other side effects include inflammation in the eye, conjunctival hemorrhage, vitreous floaters and opacities and corneal swelling.  Non-ocular side effects include but are not limited to: hypertension, headache, dizziness and diarrhea.