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Eye injection treatments

Posted , 6 users are following.

Jennie1913
Jennie1913

I have been diagnosed with branch retinal vein occlusion with macular oedema and don't know which treatment is better - monthly  Lucentis injections or Steroid implant. Scared of both and the side effects. Has anyone had either?

1 like, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • youlia26347
    youlia26347 Jennie1913

    Posted

    Jennie 1913: I do not know if lucenis will be good for you . my sister has simillar problem and her doctor give her 3 injetion of lucentis but did not do her good. she change to eylea tretment she had 3 injections and did not work either . next she will start on steroid and will see if that wll work for her or not. I will inform you. I wanted to know if you have any fluid build up in your eye or not. Thaks
    • Jennie1913
      Jennie1913 youlia26347

      Posted

      Hi. Thank you for your reply. I have macula oedema which is a swelling at the centre of the eye with haemorrhage behind. I am so scared. Was offered steroid injection straight away but did not know enough and all I know is you have a cataract very soon as well from it with possibly high eye pressure so Lucentis sounded a better choice. Not sure what to do and the Drs really leave it up to you to,decide.
    • Jennie1913
      Jennie1913 youlia26347

      Posted

      Hi. Sorry for the delay in replying. Bit worrying to hear that neither the Lucentis or Eyelea worked and your sister has to. Ow resort to the steroid pellet which I was offered. I am due my second injection of Eyelea soon but obviously no improvement as yet. It wasn't pleasant but it wasn't as painful as I thought although I was scared stiff and had a throbbing eye the following day. I don't appear to have had any fluid build up and the eye pressure seemed to be o.k. But they will check that every time as that is a worrying side effect. I just hope and pray I get some improvement as it is macular oedema as well as BRVO. I hope your sister gets some improvement too. Please keep in touch.
  • jayceevee40
    jayceevee40 Jennie1913

    Posted

    Hubby Ralph had first steroid implant Oct 27th and is still getting Lucentis injections...he sees a little more color now after implant but it takes time for implant to dissipate. He has retina vein occlusiins in both eyes, the left is central CVRO and the right is eye we are trying to save. He was changed to Eylea4U in June but this injection did not work for him so back to Lucentis in October...
    • Jennie1913
      Jennie1913 jayceevee40

      Posted

      Thank you. After reading a lot on Internet, which is hard now, Lucentis seemed to be safer with less side effects and more successful than steroid implant but still not sure. Lucentis is very expensive so I thought it might be a better option although it is needed once a month. I am struggling as I live alone and am scared of injections too.
  • jayceevee40
    jayceevee40 Jennie1913

    Posted

    Hubby has been getting monthly injections for a retina vein occlusion in right eye for many years..Lucentis each month...also had steroid implant going on 3 months which brought colors back to his vision. He has CVRO in left eye that is untreatable and glaucoma so this is a constant issue for him.
    • Jennie1913
      Jennie1913 jayceevee40

      Posted

      Thank you jayceevee40. I am due only my second monthly injection and they are giving my Eyelea which is supposed to be the same as Lucentis. There is no improvement as yet and I don't know how long I have to have them for. I decided to choose the injections first before the steroid pellet but I see from your reply that your husband has now had to have the pellet anyway so I assume the injections did not work!  I am so glad he has some colour back. I have colour but vision is all blurred and wobbly lines everywhere. I have been very disorientated and terrified of the other eye going. I really don't know what the best treatment is. Glaucoma is worrying too. Also, I know a cataract will form sooner rather than later with the steroid pellet. I will keep in touch. Thanks
  • jayceevee40
    jayceevee40 Jennie1913

    Posted

    The Eyelea was the 3rd injection med that was tried on my hubby and it worked okay for 60 days, then we lost a lot of ground so back to Lucentis...right now he is seeing little to none....injection day for Lucentis tomorrow....
    • Jennie1913
      Jennie1913 jayceevee40

      Posted

      Good luck for your husband's injection tomorrow. Mine is the first Weds of every month. I asked for Lucentis but the dr said they recommend Eyelea which is supposed to be the same drug but a different brand name. I don't know! You have got to trust what they say I suppose but I am not confident at the moment. Perhaps in a few months if I see any improvement. 
  • Judygirl
    Judygirl Jennie1913

    Posted

    Two years ago I was diagnosed with vein occlusion resulting in cystic macular oedema.  I have had monthly Lucentis injections without much improvement,

    however, I recently asked to change from Lucentis to Eyelea which requires 

    eight weekly injections and there is improvement.  Unfortunately, I am now

    diagnosed with glaucoma which can be caused by the actual eye injections.

    The eye pressure should be very carefully monitored whilst having injections

    and can be controlled by using eye drops on a daily basis.   Talk to your doctor

    and ask lots of questions, I have two specialists - one for the oedema and one

    to take care of the glaucoma!!!!!!!!!    I wish I could help more but honestly I feel

    at a loss sometimes,  however, having one good eye is better than none so must

    fight the good fight.  Good luck.

     

    • Jennie1913
      Jennie1913 Judygirl

      Posted

      Hello. Can't believe you have had to go through 2 years of injections without improvement! I have only started Eyelea and I was hoping to have some improvement within a year but no one actually tells you whether it will be the cure or not. All they seem to tell you are the negatives, like glaucoma, detached retina, cataracts etc. I am so worried but am going to,keep on with the monthly injections as I was so worried about the steroid pellet. I know the eye pressure is a serious problem but i hope they  check on that each time I go. I will ask on my next appt. I put antibiotic drops,in after the injection every 4 hrs for 4 days. It has knocked. my confidence, but like you, I am grateful,for the sight in my other eye and  I pray that will,stay the same. Good luck to you.  Please keep in touch.
  • Animeprincess
    Animeprincess Jennie1913

    Posted

    Jennie1913,

    I realize this is a few months after your initial post, but I thought I would give it try and hope you still checked this site.

    I'm wondering what treatment (if any at all) that you decided upon and if it was successful?

    In January, during a routine eye exam, I was diagnosed with BRVO. I went to a retinal specialist who performed some diagnostic tests and instructed me to follow-up in 3 mo. At that recheck the hemorrhage (collection of blood) had moved further down. At that time he began speaking of treatment until I realized the treatment was an injection in the eye ...while I was wide awake. Sorry, I'm a big chicken. I left that day feeling like a failure because I could not bring myself to get the injection (s) even though I do realize the possible outcome.

    Fast forward to now (about 1 1/2 mo later ) and I've noticed that right across the center of my right eye it's blurry...like water on a mirror. I also feel the vision on my left eye has become worse as well -perhaps from compensating ?? Not sure.

    Based on the above, I'm sure you can understand why I am interested in your treatment and progress. If you get the chance, or if anyone else reading this has experienced this, I would appreciate a response.

  • jayceevee40
    jayceevee40 Jennie1913

    Posted

    Hubby just had his 3rd Ozurdex steroid implant 2 days ago.  Then will have his 7th Lucentis in a couple weeks.  He has had 3 different types of injections.  Before Lucentis it was Eylea which worked for one month only, then was far worse than before so back to Lucentis.  Hubby has been going through this for about 8 years now, we had success in the beginning, the Ozurdex was a risk with his glaucoma but thankfully his eye pressure is staying quite low.  Right now, he is seeing little at all since he had a CVRO in the left eye, we are fighting to keep a little vision in the right.  Best wishes to all of you fighting these retinal issues.

     

    • Animeprincess
      Animeprincess jayceevee40

      Posted

      My apologies if these appears repetitive, but just for clarification, your hubby began treating and originally had good success - buthe only for a short period of time. Since then he has had several eye injections in hopes of dissolving the pooling blood but he had not yet been successful in finding the winning combo which would permanently dissolve the pooling blood and save his vision or stop it from getting worse.

      Is this a correct summary, jayceevee40?

      Assuming yes, then even had I chosen to get the injection a few weeks ago there was no guarantee it would have done any good.

      I am hopeful that the eye condition remains status quo or dissolves on its own (and yes, I do believe pigs can fly. .) One can hope.

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