FDA Approves Eye Drug for Diabetics

Following is an excerpt from an article by Amber Moore published in August 2012 on Medical Daily. You can read the original article by clicking here.

FDA has approved Roche's drug Lucentis for eye disease that affects people diagnosed with diabetes called diabetic macular edema.

The drug is manufactured by Roche's Genentech and an injection of the drug is expected to cost around $1,170, according to media reports.

The agency had earlier approved Lucentis for wet age-related macular degeneration, a condition where abnormal blood vessels grow and start leaking in the retina.

Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) is a condition in which fluid leaks into the macula, the center part of the retina where sharp, straight-forward vision occurs. The fluid makes the macula swell, causing vision to blur, the agency said.

Diabetes is a major public health issue in our country, and all patients with diabetes are at risk of developing diabetic macular edema. This approval represents a major development for the treatment of people whose vision is impaired by DME as a complication of their disease.

The approval comes after the drug showed its effectiveness in treating DME in clinical studies.

Researchers found that 0.3 mg dose of the drug improved vision in patients.

Common side-effects of Lucentis include eye pain, floaters, bleeding from the conjunctiva and increased pressure inside the eye.

This approval is an important advancement in the fight against blindness for people with diabetes.

Our eyes are very delicate organs, and we should plan routine eye exams whether or not we notice any problems. An eye exam will not only pick up vision problems but also early signs of disease, which if left untreated may lead to serious problems. An eye exam can also detect a number of other underlying health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, brain tumors, etc. By getting your eyes checked regularly, you’ll be able to keep them healthy your whole life. Neglect can be costly!

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