Like all medicines, Macugen can cause side effects although not everybody gets them. In some rare cases, serious allergic reaction has been reported soon after the injection. Please seek immediate medical help if you experience any of the following soon after the injection: sudden onset of breathing difficulty or wheezing, swollen mouth, face, hands or feet, itching skin, fainting, rapid pulse, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea.
Uncommonly, an infection in the internal portion of the eye can occur after Macugen treatment in the next two weeks. The symptoms you might experience are described in section 2 of this leaflet ("Take special care with Macugen"). Please read section 2. It tells you what to do if you have any of these symptoms.
The frequency of possible side effects listed below is defined using the following convention: very common (affects more than 1 user in 10)
common (affects 1 to 10 users in 100)
uncommon (affects 1 to 10 users in 1,000)
rare (affects 1 to 10 users in 10,000)
very rare (affects less than 1 user in 10,000)
Very common side effects are most probably caused by the injection procedure rather than the medicine, and include: eye inflammation, eye pain, increased pressure inside the eye, small marks on the eye surface (punctate keratitis), small particles or spots in your vision (vitreous floaters or opacities).
Other common eye side effects reported to be possibly caused by the medicine or by the injection procedure include: blurred vision, visual disturbance, eye discomfort, decreased vision, increased sensitivity to light, appearance of flashing lights, bleeding that occurs around the eye (periorbital bleeding), bloodshot eye (conjunctival haemorrhage), disorder of the jelly portion inside the eye (vitreous disorder), such as displacement or tear (vitreous detachment), clouding of the lens (cataract), disorder of the surface of the eye (cornea), , swelling or inflammation of the eyelid, swelling of the area on the inside of the eyelid or the outer surface of the eye (conjunctiva), eye inflammation, tears, inflammation of the conjunctiva (conjunctivitis), dryness, eye discharge, eye irritation, itching of the eye, eye redness or enlargement of the pupil,
Other common non-visual side effects reported to be possibly caused by the medicine or by the injection procedure includes: headache or nasal discharge.
Uncommon eye side effects reported to be possibly caused by the drug or by the injection procedure include: inflammation of your eye or of the outer surface of the eye, bleeding in the eye or the internal portion of the eye (vitreous), eye strain, inflammation of the central part of the surface of the eye (keratitis), small deposits on the eye or on the surface of the eye (cornea), deposits in the back of the eye, itching of the eyelids, disturbance in your eye?s reaction to the light (pupillary reflex impaired), small erosion on the central part of the surface of the eye (cornea), drooping eyelid, scar inside the eye (retinal scar), small lump on your eyelid due to inflammation (chalazion), decreased pressure inside the eye, injection site reaction, injection site vesicles, displacement or tear of a layer in the back of the eye (retina), disorder of the pupil, of the coloured part of the eye (iris), retinal artery occlusion, eversion of the eyelid, eye movement disorder, eyelid irritation, blood in your eye, discoloured eye, deposit eye, inflammation of the eye (iritis), optic nerve cupping, deformation of the pupil, occlusion of the vein at the back of the eye, discharge of inner jelly of the eye.
Uncommon non-visual side effects reported to be possibly caused by the drug or by the injection procedure include: nightmare, depression, deafness, vertigo, palpitations, high blood pressure, dilatation of the aorta (the main blood vessel), inflammation of the higher respiratory tract, vomiting, indigestion, irritation and inflammation of the skin, hair colour changes, rash, itching, night sweats, back pain, tiredness, shivering, tenderness, chest pain, sudden fever, generalised aches and pains, elevation of the liver enzymes, abrasion.
If you notice other side effects not mentioned in this leaflet, please inform your doctor or pharmacist.
