Macular Degeneration Lucentis injection problem

I get regular Lucentis shots for Macular Degeneration. This is done in my only "good" eye, the other is beyond help. The anaesthetic is gluey and several times was not well rinsed out. In such cases it becomes crystallized or grainy under the eyelid as well as caking shut the eye. The last time it resulted in a return emergency visit where they said that there was a scratch on the cornea and treated this with a "bandage contact lense." The discomfort from this incident brought days of visual disablement (since I could not read or write using the contact lense and the other eye is bad), and it also brought days of lost work. It seems that such a simple thing as using more care, especially in the rinsing process, could avoid these problems. Please comment on similar experiences.

My only experience is as a pharmacist who has issued Lucentis to an eye clinic but I am sorry you have had such problems. Most of the problems with Lucentis are due to the actual process of injection. The idea of a needle in my eye makes me shudder and I can only imagine how it must feel.

Without knowing what local anaesthetic was used I can't comment on any problems it might have caused but I presume it would have been eye drops rather than another injection. However if you have nay concerns you must raise it with the clinic where you get the injections. If it is done at an NHS hospital contain the local PALS if you are not happy with the response you get from the clinic.

I hope tests will show you can take a break from the injections soon

Hi there BigJoh - welcome to HealthyPages :wave:

So sorry to hear you had such problems with the treatment for Macular Degeneration. It's many years since I worked in an eye clinic and treatments change, but you must tell the doctor/staff at the clinic what is happening and make sure they write it in your notes and I'd insist on changing the type of anaesthetic used - there must be more than one available. In fact I suggest you write it down, take 2 copies and give them one. I suggest that what has happened to you is unacceptable and yes, tell PALS too.

The other thing is, have the doctors suggested you take supplements to reduce the risk of the MD getting worse so rapidly? There are several on the market like. There some useful information [DLMURL="http://www.macularsociety.org/about-macular-conditions/Nurition/areds-ii/areds-ii"]here[/DLMURL] too. You will realise how vital your eyesight is, and anything you can do to reduce the risk of losing it altogether is worth it.

Hope you have a better experience next time.

about supplements...

Thank all, so far, for helpful replies. Actually, I have had MD since the 1980s, when there was no help EXCEPT FOR healthy eating and supplements, starting with Lutein. Later I added zeaxanthin, fish oil, and astaxanthin. I think you could say that all these things have helped over the years, but about 5 years ago my eyesight in both eyes slipped again. Now I am over eighty and still trying to prevent the MD progressing further. I came in on Lucentis at the end of the FDA test period a few years ago and it seems to have kept the eyesight from falling further. That is why I continue with the Lucentis shots, but I am very disappointed with the treatment procedures, at this time. Thanks for answers.

Hi Bigjoh. welcome here on hp.
Sorry to hear of your challenges. A little diligence can so much dis comfort for the patient. You should voice your concern. Since 1980 you say, that is a long time! you are keeping on top of it, to say the least!
My mum -in -law was diagnosed some 5-6 years ago and was given 6 months before she would all sight. She has managed beautifully to keep her sight from deteriorating.
One of the most important change was to introduce prana mudra...which she did diligently.
May I suggest that you incorporate Prana Mudra amongst host of oher things and treatments that you already do to help yourself. You will find that it is beneficial on more than one level.

Prana Mudra is Touching the ring finger and pinky with your thumb. 45 minutes holding this mudra (hand gesture) everyday.
You can break the 45 minutes into 3 quarters or something like that, You will find that your energy level and general well being will benefit from this mudra.
All the best

May I suggest that you incorporate Prana Mudra amongst host of oher things and treatments that you already do to help yourself. You will find that it is beneficial on more than one level.

Prana Mudra is Touching the ring finger and pinky with your thumb. 45 minutes holding this mudra (hand gesture) everyday.

You can break the 45 minutes into 3 quarters or something like that, You will find that your energy level and general well being will benefit from this mudra.
All the best

That's really interesting - do you have access to a diagram of how to hold your fingers? What other treatments do you advocate?

That's really interesting - do you have access to a diagram of how to hold your fingers? What other treatments do you advocate?

Hi Caroline
while yoga asanas have taken hold in western culture in a big way-there is more to Yoga than just Asanas. Pranayam(Yogic breathing) and Mudras(yogic hand gestures) are equally important and beneficial as asanas. It is worth having a little delve.

She is good at eating healthy diet.
She and I started to spend time together, held hands, reassurance, support, feeling of being loved, being cherished, sharing jokes-just very small normal sounding things really. Mudras is the only physical thing that we used for eyes that I can remember, rest was part of the energetic mix.

Hi Caroline
while yoga asanas have taken hold in western culture in a big way-there is more to Yoga than just Asanas. Pranayam(Yogic breathing) and Mudras(yogic hand gestures) are equally important and beneficial as asanas. It is worth having a little delve.

She is good at eating healthy diet.
She and I started to spend time together, held hands, reassurance, support, feeling of being loved, being cherished, sharing jokes-just very small normal sounding things really. Mudras is the only physical thing that we used for eyes that I can remember, rest was part of the energetic mix.

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Lucentis Injection Problem – Scratched Cornea - I wrote earlier this week that I receive regular Lucentis shots for Macular Degeneration in my one eye that can still benefit. Along with the shot into my right eye I am given an Antiseptic and an Anesthetic. The anesthetic has been trouble because it is a gluey viscous substance which needs to be thoroughly rinsed and almost never is. My Doctor disliked my request for more thorough rinsing which I repeated several times. Each rinse takes about five seconds. Extra rinses could all be done in less than half a minute. When these – on my insistence – were grudgingly and resentfully provided, they were then once again, at later visits, omitted. The trouble with the anesthetic is that grains or crystals form beneath the eyelid, which causes scraping discomfort and hours of lost sleep. Yet I was told with some sharpness that other doctors too rinsed one time only, as though an extra two or three five-second turn of simplest work were an undeserved accommodation. The last trouble was the worst. The rinse was made so hastily that nearly all the anesthetic was left in place and began to ooze out of the eye that evening and all night long into the next day. The eye was caked shut completely, became inflamed and swollen and I ran a fever. Granules scratched beneath the eyelid, persistently and fiercely. This time some Injury occurred – an abrasion of the cornea – so while my specialist was out of town I required an emergency visit to another doctor, where I received a “bandage contact lense,” and antibiotic eye drops to take regularly for a week. During that time I still was unable to see enough to continue with my work of writing out my talks on art for an older audience at a nearby university. I am almost 82 years old, so it is hard to pull together enough energy to accomplish what I still can and want to do. With this problem my energy and time have simply been pouring down the drain. Will any of the readers of this message – either those with technical experience or those with Macular Degeneration trouble – please comment on what I have described. For I much desire to educate my Doctor in such a way that the instruction holds and is not with ill grace and impatiently – always impatiently – dismissed yet one more time.

I wrote earlier this week that I receive regular Lucentis shots for Macular Degeneration in my one eye that can still benefit. Along with the shot into my right eye I am given an Antiseptic and an Anesthetic. The anesthetic has been trouble because it is a gluey viscous substance which needs to be thoroughly rinsed and almost never is.
My Doctor disliked my request for more thorough rinsing which I repeated several times. Each rinse takes about five seconds. Extra rinses could all be done in less than half a minute. When these – on my insistence – were grudgingly and resentfully provided, they were then once again, at later visits, omitted.
The trouble with the anesthetic is that grains or crystals form beneath the eyelid, which causes scraping discomfort and hours of lost sleep. Yet I was told with some sharpness that other doctors too rinsed one time only, as though an extra two or three five-second turn of simplest work were an undeserved accommodation.
The last trouble was the worst. The rinse was made so hastily that nearly all the anesthetic was left in place and began to ooze out of the eye that evening and all night long into the next day. The eye was caked shut completely, became inflamed and swollen and I ran a fever. Granules scratched beneath the eyelid, persistently and fiercely.
This time some Injury occurred – an abrasion of the cornea – so while my specialist was out of town I required an emergency visit to another doctor, where I received a “bandage contact lense,” and antibiotic eye drops to take regularly for a week. During that time I still was unable to see enough to continue with my work of writing out my talks on art for an older audience at a nearby university.
I am almost 82 years old, so it is hard to pull together enough energy to accomplish what I still can and want to do. With this problem my energy and time have simply been pouring down the drain.
Will any of the readers of this message – either those with technical experience or those with Macular Degeneration trouble – please comment on what I have described. For I much desire to educate my Doctor in such a way that the instruction holds and is with ill grace and impatiently – always impatiently – dismissed yet one more time

Hello

sorry to hear you have had so many problems with your. I suffer with Uveitis and at the start of this year i had an on going bout of it that lead to bad Glaucoma ( My ocular pressure goes up in response to the drops given to control the inflammation) and I have had to deal with many drops and very strong tablets, which are still on going, so I understand some what how this can be.

I found a guy in the states, a Doctor Jerry Tennant who was a highly accredited Ophthalmologist many years ago and he done was the man who invented surgical technique that made Glaucoma surgery a day treatment rather than a week long stay in hospital. He also done 90% of the research to get modern Laser eye surgery FDA approved.

The reason I told you they guys history is just to give you an idea that he is a mainstream trained physician that done very well in that realm. Fortunately, Dr Tennent got sick , very sick while travelling the world showing other opthamologists how to do the routine. You can good him to find out just how sick he got and why.

Dr Tennant went back to study and in the end found that the therapy known as Scenar (an electronic device kind of like a very advanced TENS machine) was very good to aid healing at a cellular level. . Dr Tennant has his own simplified version of that now, called the Tennant Bio modulator. He says he can now predictably reverse Macular degeneration. You can google him and see many videos and also radio interviews he has given.

Now, Because of my eye problems and because I intend to move over to start up my own Natural Therapy business I have purchased the rather expensive device. Unfortunately I haven't used it enough to say I could help but I would really recommend that you read Dr Tennants stuff. One day I may be able to also help but for now check Dr Tennant out. He also have a good book that explains the therapy and how he come about finding it call Healing is Voltage - Healing Eye disease.

Also, I would suggest that dietary supplements will help. Just make sure you remove inflammatory foods from your diet or you will not be able to absorb the supplements you are taking.

I hope you managed to read that and get something from it.

I really need to learn to summarise