I seem to be resistant to Lucentis...am I unusual?

Lucentis is not a cure...it must be considered a maintenance therapy. A person with "wet" macular degeneration really needs the Lucentis to be present in their eye "24 hours per day...FOREVER". While Lucentis is present in the eye...blood vessel growth and leakage is retarded...but as the Lucentis gets absorbed (by 4 weeks)...blood vessel growth and leakage resumes...in most people...usually quickly.

One should therefore not feel that they are resistant to the Lucentis...it is unfortunately the nature of the drug. Lucentis is a terrific drug...but the nature of the disease and the duration of the drug in the eye requires injections approximately every four weeks...in most people. Every patient is however different in their response...your retinal specialist needs to monitor you very frequently...both via examination...and with imaging such as OCT and sometimes angiography...to determine whether additional treatment is required.

Do i have to pay for my own Lucentis if I go South for the winter?

If a resident of Ontario goes South for the winter...we can arrange with the Pharmacy supplying Lucentis to supply the drug while you are away...arrangements must be made with a retinal specialist at your destination to receive the drug and to administer the drug. Great care must be taken in the transportation process to ensure that the drug is maintained at the temperatures recommended by the manufacturer. As an Ontario resident...you are just as entitled to have an ODB covered drug such as Lucentis while you are away as you are entitled to have a drug that is taken orally.