Lucentis (ranibizumab) is a brand-name drug prescribed for certain eye conditions in adults. Lucentis is given as an injection into the eye by a doctor. The dosage depends on the reason for using the drug.

Specifically, Lucentis is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat the following conditions:

Lucentis is a biologic and belongs to a drug class called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors. Drugs in this class are also known as anti-VEGFs.

Lucentis is available in biosimilar versions. These include Byooviz (ranibizumab-nuna)* and Cimerli (ranibizumab-eqrn).*

Keep reading for specific information about the dosage of Lucentis, including its strengths and how the medication is given. For a comprehensive look at Lucentis, see this article.

Note: This article describes typical dosages for Lucentis provided by the drug’s manufacturer. However, your doctor will prescribe the Lucentis dosage that’s right for you.

* The four letters at the end of these drugs’ names help distinguish them from each other and other drugs.

This section includes the typical dosages for Lucentis and other details about the drug.

Lucentis form

Lucentis comes as a solution in prefilled syringes. Each syringe contains a single dose.

A doctor, usually an ophthalmologist (eye specialist), gives the drug as an intravitreal injection. This type of injection delivers the drug directly into the vitreous humor (a jelly-like fluid in the back of the eye).

Lucentis strength

Lucentis comes in two strengths:

  • 0.3 milligrams in 0.05 milliliters of solution (a concentration of 6 mg/mL)
  • 0.5 mg in 0.05 mL of solution (a concentration of 10 mg/mL)

Typical dosages

The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. However,your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs.

Dosage for wet age-related macular degeneration

For wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the typical dosage of Lucentis is one injection of 0.5 mg/0.05 mL once per month (every 28 days).

Other Lucentis dosage schedules may be used for wet AMD. However, the drug’s manufacturer states that the once-monthly dosage is more effective* than less frequent dosage schedules. These other injection schedule options are as follows:

  • 0.5 mg/0.05 mL given once per month for 4 months, then one injection every 3 months
  • 0.5 mg/0.05 mL given once per month for 3 months, then less frequent dosing based on your eye exam results

Talk with your doctor to determine the dosing schedule that’s right for you.

* Lucentis helps maintain your visual acuity (the sharpness of your vision).

Dosage for macular edema following retinal vein occlusion

For macular edema following retinal vein occlusion, the typical dosage of Lucentis is one injection of 0.5 mg/0.05 mL once per month (every 28 days).

Dosage for diabetic macular edema

For diabetic macular edema, the typical dosage of Lucentis is one injection of 0.3 mg/0.05 mL once per month (every 28 days).

Dosage for diabetic retinopathy

For diabetic retinopathy, the typical dosage of Lucentis is one injection of 0.3 mg/0.05 mL once per month (every 28 days).

Dosage for myopic choroidal neovascularization

Myopic choroidal neovascularization is new blood vessel growth near the retina in people with severe nearsightedness. The typical dose is one injection of 0.5 mg/0.05 mL Lucentis. This dose is given once per month (every 28 days) for up to 3 months.

If 3 months of treatment isn’t effective enough for your condition, you may need to repeat the treatment. Your doctor can provide more information about this.

Long-term treatment

Lucentis is meant to be a long-term treatment for most conditions.* If you and your doctor determine that Lucentis is safe and effective for you, you’ll likely continue treatment long term.

If you have questions about your treatment plan, talk with your doctor for more information.

* If you’re receiving Lucentis for myopic choroidal neovascularization, it may be a short-term treatment.

Lucentis is given as an intravitreal injection by an ophthalmologist (eye specialist) in their office or a clinic. This type of injection delivers the drug directly into the vitreous humor. This is jelly-like fluid in the back of your eye.

The Lucentis injection itself only takes a few seconds. But you should allow a couple of hours for your injection appointment. You’ll also need someone to drive you home after your appointment.

Before and after the injection, your doctor will examine your eyes. They may check your vision, measure the pressure inside your eye, and check for proper blood flow to the optic nerve. They may also monitor you for any side effects after the injection. To learn about side effects of Lucentis, see this article.

To prepare your eye, your doctor will:

  • clean the area around your eye
  • apply eye drops to numb your eye
  • use a sterile (germ-free) tool called a speculum to gently hold your eye open

They’ll perform these steps for each affected eye. Your doctor will use a new syringe for each injection. Each syringe contains a single dose.

For more information about Lucentis injections, talk with your doctor. You can also get tips for preparing for your appointment on the drugmaker’s website.

If you miss an appointment for your Lucentis injection, call your doctor as soon as possible to reschedule.

To help make sure that you don’t miss an appointment, be sure to put a reminder on your calendar.

You may also want to confirm that the person driving you home from your appointment will be available.

The dosages in this article are typical dosages provided by the drug’s manufacturer. If your doctor recommends Lucentis for you, they’ll prescribe the dosage that’s right for you. If you have questions about the dosage of Lucentis that’s best for you, talk with your doctor.

Besides learning about dosage, you may want other information about Lucentis. These additional articles might be helpful:

  • More about Lucentis. For information about other aspects of Lucentis, refer to this article.
  • Side effects. To learn about side effects of Lucentis, see this article. You can also look at the Lucentis prescribing information.
  • Details about your condition. For details about your condition, see our eye health hub.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.