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Supporting a Loved One with wet AMD

When someone finds out they have wet AMD, they may feel overwhelmed and scared about their treatment. You can play an important role in helping manage their vision challenges and easing their concerns.

Around the home

Around the home:

  • Make clear pathways with easy access to doors and windows
  • Keep rooms well-lit
  • Use tools to make reading easier—larger fonts, high-contrast e-readers, talking devices
  • Develop a system for storing and arranging commonly used items—keys, shoes, toothbrushes, etc.
Keeping up communication

Keeping up communication:

  • Talk with your loved one and let them know you are there to help
  • Stay positive, and encourage new interests, like audiobooks instead of reading
  • Communicate with their Retina Care team
  • Ease their concerns about treatment costs, letting them know that financial assistance programs are available
Extra set of eyes and ears

An extra set of eyes and ears:

  • Offer to accompany them to their refill-exchange procedures and bring them home
  • Be an active participant in their doctor's visits, listening and asking questions
  • Help note any changes in symptoms or side effects
  • Find out if there are any special instructions and treatment tips that the Retina Care team recommends

SUSVIMO® can offer your loved one continuous delivery of wet AMD treatment

Taking care of yourself

Providing care for a loved one can be overwhelming. Be sure to take time to care for your own health and well-being, with the following tips in mind:

  • Set aside time for yourself to relax
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and accept it when it’s offered
  • Join a support group, in person or online

 

 

Additional resources available for you

Supporting a loved one can be a lot—to give your loved one the best care, it’s also important to take care of yourself. See the resources below for information to help as you care for a loved one living with a serious eye condition.

NAC

The National Alliance for Caregiving

An organization committed to helping the families and friends of those with health care needs through research, advocacy, and innovation.

Family Caregiver Alliance

Family Caregiver Alliance

A support organization with the purpose of improving the quality of life for caregivers and those who receive care.

Today's Caregiver

Today’s Caregiver

A publication dedicated to providing information, support, and guidance for families and professional caregivers.

View financial support services

This information is provided as a resource for you. We do not endorse or show preference for any particular organization. The organizations in this list are not the only ones that might be able to help you.

Important Safety Information

What is SUSVIMO (ranibizumab injection)?

SUSVIMO is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with neovascular (wet) Age‑related Macular Degeneration (AMD) who have responded to at least two injections of a Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) inhibitor in the gel-like part of the eye (intravitreal). It is not known if SUSVIMO is safe and effective in children.

What is the most important information I should know about SUSVIMO?

SUSVIMO (ranibizumab injection) is delivered into the eye using the SUSVIMO implant. The SUSVIMO implant and the procedures to insert, fill, refill, and remove the eye (ocular) implant can cause serious side effects, including:

  • An eye infection (endophthalmitis). Endophthalmitis is an infection of the eyeball that can cause permanent damage to your eye, including blindness. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have increasing eye pain, vision loss, sensitivity to light, or redness in the white of the eye. Endophthalmitis requires urgent (same-day) medical or surgical treatment.
  • A missing layer on top of the white part of the eye (conjunctival erosion). Conjunctival erosion is an area that becomes missing (defect) in the layer (conjunctiva) that covers the white part of the eye, which may result in exposure of the implant. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have a sudden feeling that something is in your eye, eye discharge, or watering of the eye. Conjunctival erosion may require surgical treatment.
  • An opening of the layer that covers the white part of the eye (conjunctival retraction). Conjunctival retraction is an opening or gaping in the layer (conjunctiva) that covers the white part of the eye, which may cause the implant to be exposed. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have a sudden feeling that something is in your eye, eye discharge, or watering of the eye. Conjunctival retraction may require surgical treatment.

Do not receive SUSVIMO if you:

  • Have an infection in or around your eye
  • Have active swelling around your eye that may include pain and redness
  • Are allergic to ranibizumab or any of the ingredients in SUSVIMO

Talk to your healthcare provider before receiving SUSVIMO if you have any of these conditions.

Before receiving SUSVIMO, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you: 

  • Are currently taking or have recently taken medicines that lower the chance of blood clots forming in the body, such as warfarin, low or regular doses of aspirin, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
  • Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if SUSVIMO will harm your unborn baby. You should use birth control during your treatment with SUSVIMO and for 12 months after your last dose of SUSVIMO.

What are other possible side effects of SUSVIMO?

The SUSVIMO implant and the procedures to insert, fill, refill, and remove the eye (ocular) implant can cause other serious side effects, including: 

  • Tear and separation of layers of the retina (rhegmatogenous retinal detachment). Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment is a tear and separation of one of the layers of the retina in the back of the eye that senses light. Call your healthcare provider or go to the emergency room right away if you see flashing lights, see a curtain or veil covering part of your vision, or have a change in, or a loss of, vision. Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment requires surgical treatment.
  • Implant movement (implant dislocation): Tell your healthcare provider right away if you notice that the implant has moved out of place. This movement may require surgical treatment to correct.
  • Implant damage: Damage to the implant that prevents continued treatment (refills) with SUSVIMO. If the implant is not able to be properly refilled, your wet AMD may be inadequately treated and your physician may remove the implant and/or change your treatment.
  • Bleeding (vitreous hemorrhage): Vitreous hemorrhage is bleeding within the gel-like substance (vitreous) inside of your eye. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have an increase in moving spots or what looks like spider webs in your vision, as you may need an additional eye surgery.
  • Bump on top of the white layer of the eye (conjunctival bleb): Conjunctival bleb is a small bulge in the layer (conjunctiva) that covers the white part of the eye where the implant is inserted. This may be due to leakage of fluid from the inside of the eye. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have a sudden feeling that something is in your eye (foreign body sensation), see a bulge over the white part of your eye, have eye discharge, or have watering in the eye. You may need medical or surgical treatment.
  • Temporary decrease in vision after the SUSVIMO procedure

The most common side effects of SUSVIMO include:

  • Blood on the white of the eye
  • Eye pain
  • Redness in the white of the eye
  • Sensitivity to light

These are not all the possible side effects of SUSVIMO. 

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects to Genentech at 1-888-835-2555. 

Please see Important Safety Information, including Serious Side Effects, as well as the SUSVIMO full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide.

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    • SUSVIMO [package insert]. South San Francisco, CA: Genentech, Inc; 2022.

      SUSVIMO [package insert]. South San Francisco, CA: Genentech, Inc; 2022.

    • Campochiaro PA, Marcus DM, Awh CC, et al. The port delivery system with ranibizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Ophthalmology. 2019;126:1141-1154.

      Campochiaro PA, Marcus DM, Awh CC, et al. The port delivery system with ranibizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Ophthalmology. 2019;126:1141-1154.

    • SUSVIMO Initial Fill and Implant Procedure Instructions for Use. Genentech, Inc. 2022.

      SUSVIMO Initial Fill and Implant Procedure Instructions for Use. Genentech, Inc. 2022.

    • Monés J, Gune S, Maia M, et al. Pharmacokinetic profile of the port delivery system with ranibizumab in the phase 3 Archway trial. Presented at 21st EURETINA Congress, September 9-12, 2021.

      Monés J, Gune S, Maia M, et al. Pharmacokinetic profile of the port delivery system with ranibizumab in the phase 3 Archway trial. Presented at 21st EURETINA Congress, September 9-12, 2021.

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      Ranade SV, Wieland MR, Tam T, et al. The port delivery system with ranibizumab: a new paradigm for long-acting retinal drug delivery. Drug Delivery. 2022;29(1):1326-1334.

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      Data on file. Genentech, Inc. 2021.

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      Data on file. Genentech, Inc. 2021.

    • Holekamp NM, Campochiaro PA, Chang MA, et al; Archway Investigators. Archway randomized phase 3 trial of the port delivery system with ranibizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Ophthalmology. 2022;129(3):295-307.

      Holekamp NM, Campochiaro PA, Chang MA, et al; Archway Investigators. Archway randomized phase 3 trial of the port delivery system with ranibizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Ophthalmology. 2022;129(3):295-307.

    • A phase III study to evaluate the port delivery system with ranibizumab compared with monthly ranibizumab injections in participants with wet age-related macular degeneration. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03677934. Updated July 22, 2021. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03677934

      A phase III study to evaluate the port delivery system with ranibizumab compared with monthly ranibizumab injections in participants with wet age-related macular degeneration. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03677934. Updated July 22, 2021. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03677934

    • Wykoff CC; Archway Investigators. 2-year outcomes from the phase 3 Archway trial: management of neovascular age-related macular degeneration using the port delivery system with ranibizumab (PDS). Presented at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Angiogenesis, Exudation, and Degeneration 2022 – Virtual Edition, February 11-12, 2022.

      Wykoff CC; Archway Investigators. 2-year outcomes from the phase 3 Archway trial: management of neovascular age-related macular degeneration using the port delivery system with ranibizumab (PDS). Presented at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Angiogenesis, Exudation, and Degeneration 2022 – Virtual Edition, February 11-12, 2022.

    • Data on file. Genentech, Inc. 2021.

      Data on file. Genentech, Inc. 2021.

    • Data on file. Genentech, Inc. 2021.

      Data on file. Genentech, Inc. 2021.

    • Chang MA, Kapre A, Kaufman D, et al. Patient preference and treatment satisfaction with a port delivery system for ranibizumab vs intravitreal injections in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Ophthalmology. Published online June 16, 2022.

      Chang MA, Kapre A, Kaufman D, et al. Patient preference and treatment satisfaction with a port delivery system for ranibizumab vs intravitreal injections in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Ophthalmology. Published online June 16, 2022.