An anti-VEGF eye injection
Ranibizumab
An injection given into the eye by a specialist to treat wet AMD and diabetic and retinal-vein eye disease.
What is Ranibizumab?
Ranibizumab is an anti-VEGF medicine injected into the eye to treat conditions that cause leaky, fragile blood vessels at the back of the eye, such as wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD), diabetic eye disease and blockages in the eye's veins. It is given by an eye specialist in a clean clinic setting, often as a course of injections with check-ups in between. It can protect or even improve sight, but it carries a small risk of a serious eye infection (endophthalmitis) and raised eye pressure, so a painful, red or suddenly blurred eye after an injection must be reported urgently.
Education and reference only. This is a plain-language guide to Ranibizumab — it deliberately contains no doses. Doses depend on the person, the brand and the reason for treatment, and belong with your prescriber. Always check the BNF, the product labelling (SmPC) and follow medical advice.
What it is
Ranibizumab is an anti-VEGF medicine, meaning it blocks a signal called vascular endothelial growth factor that drives the growth of abnormal, leaky blood vessels at the back of the eye. It is used for wet age-related macular degeneration and for swelling and leakage caused by diabetic eye disease and blocked retinal veins. It is not a tablet or a drop you use at home; it is given as a tiny injection into the eye by an eye specialist, usually as a series of treatments.
How it works
In several common eye conditions, too much VEGF causes new blood vessels to grow and existing vessels to leak fluid and blood under the retina, distorting and damaging central vision. Ranibizumab binds to VEGF and blocks it, which dries up the leakage and helps the abnormal vessels settle. Many people find their sight stabilises and some regain vision, but the effect wears off, so repeat injections at intervals are usually needed to keep the condition under control.
Company & origin
Originated / developed by: Novartis / Genentech.
An anti-VEGF medicine injected into the eye by an eye specialist to treat wet age-related macular degeneration and other retinal conditions in the UK.
Practical use
How to take Ranibizumab
General, dose-free guidance — always follow your prescriber's and the leaflet's specific instructions.
- It is given as an injection into the eye by an eye specialist in a clinic; it is not something you use at home.
- Numbing drops and an antiseptic are used first, and the eye is kept clean to reduce the risk of infection.
- Attend all your scheduled injection and review appointments, as the benefit relies on regular treatment.
- Do not rub your eye afterwards, and use any antibiotic or lubricating drops exactly as advised.
- Seek urgent eye-clinic advice if your eye becomes painful, increasingly red, or your vision suddenly worsens after an injection.
Weighing it up
Advantages & disadvantages of Ranibizumab
Advantages
- Can protect sight and, in many people, improve vision in wet AMD and other leaking retinal conditions.
- Given as a targeted injection into the eye, so it acts where it is needed with little effect on the rest of the body.
- A well-established treatment with long experience of use in UK eye clinics.
Disadvantages
- Needs repeated injections over time, with regular clinic visits, as the effect wears off.
- Carries a small but serious risk of eye infection (endophthalmitis) and a rise in eye pressure.
- Some people find the idea of an eye injection stressful, even though it is quick and done with numbing drops.
Practical use
Good to know
Having an injection into the eye sounds daunting, but it is a routine, well-practised procedure done with numbing drops and a clean technique to lower the risk of infection. The most important thing to know is the rare but serious risk of an eye infection inside the eye, called endophthalmitis, and of a temporary rise in eye pressure. In the days after an injection, watch for a painful, increasingly red eye, worsening vision, new floaters or sensitivity to light, and seek urgent eye-clinic advice if these happen rather than waiting. Mild redness, grittiness, a small bloodshot patch where the needle went in, or seeing a few floaters for a short time are common and usually settle. Keeping to your appointment and review schedule matters, because the benefit depends on regular treatment.
Who should not take it / use with caution
- People with an active or suspected infection in or around the eye should not be injected until it is treated.
- It is avoided if you have had a serious allergic reaction to ranibizumab or any of its ingredients.
- Used with caution, and only after weighing the risks, in pregnancy and breastfeeding and after a recent stroke or heart attack.
Monitoring
- Eye examinations and scans (such as OCT) to see how the retina is responding and to plan the next injection.
- Checking eye pressure and looking for any signs of infection or inflammation after injections.
- Reviewing your vision over the course of treatment to decide on the timing of further injections.
Side effects
- Temporary eye redness, soreness, grittiness, a small bloodshot patch or floaters that usually settle within days.
- A short-lived rise in eye pressure after the injection, which the clinic checks for.
- Rarely, a serious eye infection (endophthalmitis), retinal detachment or a sudden drop in vision, all needing urgent care.
Key interactions
- Because it works locally in the eye, important interactions with tablets and other medicines are uncommon.
- Tell the clinic about any blood-thinning medicines, although these are not usually a reason to stop treatment.
- If you also need other anti-VEGF injections in the same eye, the specialist will plan how they are combined.
Available as: Solution given as an injection into the eye by an eye specialist.
Answers
Ranibizumab: frequently asked questions
Does the eye injection hurt?
Numbing drops are used first, so most people feel pressure rather than pain; the eye may be a little sore or gritty afterwards, which usually settles within a day or two.
How many injections will I need?
Treatment is usually a course of injections with reviews in between, and the effect wears off over time, so ongoing injections at intervals are often needed to keep the condition controlled.
What warning signs should I look out for after an injection?
Seek urgent eye-clinic advice if your eye becomes painful, increasingly red, very sensitive to light, or your vision suddenly worsens, as these can signal a serious infection.
Will it cure my eye condition?
It does not cure the underlying condition, but it can control the leakage and protect, and often improve, your sight while treatment continues.
Can I drive home after my injection?
Your vision may be blurred for a while and your eye may be dilated, so arrange not to drive straight afterwards and follow the clinic's advice.
The wider class
About Anti-VEGF eye injection
Ranibizumab belongs to the anti-vegf eye injection class. For how the class as a whole works, its shared safety principles and monitoring, see the full guide.
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Authoritative sources
- BNF
- NICE CKS
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