Visudyne

How to Prepare for your VISUDYNE® treatment

Before your VISUDYNE® treatment

VISUDYNE® therapy causes your skin and eyes to become temporarily sensitive to light. Bring these items with you on the day of your VISUDYNE® treatment appointment:

Dark sunglasses
A wide-brimmed hat
Gloves
Long pants
Socks and shoes
A tight-weave, light-colored, long-sleeved shirt

You should also make arrangements for someone to drive you home after your treatment.

During your treatment

1.You will need to receive an intravenous infusion of VISUDYNE®, usually in your arm, which should take about 10 minutes

2.At the end of the infusion, your doctor will numb your eye with eye drops

3.Fifteen minutes after the infusion begins, the doctor will place a special contact lens on your eye. A laser is then directed through the contact lens onto the affected area of the eye and applied for 83 seconds

4.The laser activates the drug within the abnormal blood vessels to close the blood vessels and stop the leakage

After your VISUDYNE® therapy

Your skin will be sensitive to bright light and direct sunlight for 5 days after your treatment. After 5 days, you may resume normal outdoor activities without any special precautions.

Be sure to follow all of your doctor's instructions.

Re-treatment with VISUDYNE® therapy

Within 3 months, you should have another examination to have pictures of your eyes to show if there is any leakage present. VISUDYNE® therapy usually consists of a series of sessions.

If the pictures show that there is more leakage, additional therapy will be necessary.

SAMPLE LETTER OF MEDICAL NECESSITY

Indication

VISUDYNE® (verteporfin for injection) is used along with laser light treatment to stop leaking from blood vessels in the eye due to the following serious eye conditions: age-related macular degeneration (a condition affecting the retina of the eye which can impair vision), pathologic myopia (extreme nearsightedness) or ocular histoplasmosis (a certain type of fungus infection in the eye).

Important Safety Information

  • VISUDYNE® (verteporfin for injection) should not be used if you have a condition known as porphyria (blood enzyme deficiency), or if you are allergic to it or any of its components.
  • If there is leakage of medication into the tissue around the injection site, it may cause damage. If this happens, protect the area from direct light until swelling and discoloration have faded.
  • Avoid exposure of skin and eyes to direct sunlight or bright indoor light for 5 days after treatment with VISUDYNE. Wear protective clothes and dark sunglasses if going outdoors during this time. A UV sunscreen will not offer enough protection for your skin. Wear a wristband to remind you to do this. However, do not stay in totally dark areas. You should expose your skin to regular indoor and/or indirect light because doing so will help inactivate the drug in your skin.
  • In clinical studies, the most common side effects were injection site reactions (such as pain, redness, irritation, rashes and swelling) or changes in vision (including blurred vision and flashes of light). Tell your doctor about any side effects that you may have.
  • If you develop or have changes or a decrease in vision after treatment, do not drive or use machines as long as these symptoms continue.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please click here for full Prescribing Information for VISUDYNE®.

Indication and Important Safety Information