Visudyne Side Effects
Generic name: verteporfin
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Sep 19, 2024.
Note: This document provides detailed information about Visudyne.
Applies to verteporfin: powder for solution Side Effects associated with verteporfin. Some dosage forms listed on this page may not apply specifically to the brand name Visudyne.
Applies to verteporfin: powder for solution.
Precautions
For 5 days after you receive an injection of verteporfin (the active ingredient contained in Visudyne) your eyes will be extra sensitive to light, including sunlight and bright indoor lights. Certain types of sunglasses can help protect your eyes during this time. Check with your doctor about which sunglasses to use.
For 5 days after you receive an injection of verteporfin, your skin will be extra sensitive to sunlight and to very bright indoor lights, such as tanning lamps, bright halogen lighting and lights in dental offices or operating rooms. Do not expose your skin to direct sunlight or to bright indoor lights during this time. Sunscreens will not protect your skin from a severe reaction to light (blistering, burning, and swelling of the skin). However, exposure to normal amounts of indoor light (for example, daylight or light from lamps with shades) will help clear up the verteporfin remaining in your skin. Therefore, do not protect your skin from normal amounts of indoor light. If you have any questions about whether the light in your home is too bright, check with your doctor or nurse. If you do have a severe reaction to light, call your doctor immediately.
Serious side effects of Visudyne
Along with its needed effects, verteporfin may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking verteporfin:
More common side effects
- blurred vision or other change in vision
Less common side effects
- decrease in vision, may be severe
- dizziness
- dull nervousness
- eye pain
- fainting
- fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat
- itching, redness, or other irritation of eye
- pale skin
- pounding in the ears
- troubled breathing on exertion
- unusual bleeding or bruising
- unusual tiredness or weakness
Other side effects of Visudyne
Some side effects of verteporfin may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.
Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
More common side effects
- bleeding, blistering, burning, coldness, discoloration of skin, feeling of pressure, infection, itching, numbness, pain, rash, redness, scarring, stinging, swelling, tenderness, tingling, ulceration, and/or warmth at the injection site
- headache
Less common side effects
- back pain (during infusion of verteporfin)
- chills
- cloudy urine
- constipation
- cough
- decreased hearing
- decreased sensitivity to touch
- diarrhea
- difficult or painful urination
- difficulty in moving
- double vision
- dry eyes
- feeling of constant movement of self or surroundings
- fever
- general feeling of discomfort or illness
- hoarseness
- increased sensitivity of skin to sunlight
- joint pain
- light headedness
- loss of appetite
- loss of strength or energy
- muscle pain or stiffness
- nausea
- pain, swelling, or redness in joints
- pelvic discomfort
- redness or other discoloration of skin
- runny nose
- severe sunburn
- shivering
- skin rash
- sore throat
- sweating
- tearing
- tender, swollen glands in neck
- throat congestion
- trouble in sleeping
- trouble in swallowing
- trouble sleeping
- varicose veins
- voice changes
- vomiting
For healthcare professionals
Applies to verteporfin: intravenous powder for injection.
Ocular adverse events
- Very common (10% or more): Cataract (up to 20%)
- Common (1% to 10%): Visual impairment (e.g., blurry, hazy, fuzzy vision, flashes of light), visual acuity reduced, visual field defect (grey or dark haloes, scotoma, black spots), blepharitis, cataract in the untreated eye, dry eye, severe vision decrease with or without subretinal/retinal or vitreous hemorrhage, diplopia conjunctivitis/conjunctival injection, ocular itching
- Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Retinal detachment, retinal hemorrhage, vitreous hemorrhage, retinal edema
- Rare (less than 0.1%): Retinal ischemia (retinal or choroidal vessel nonperfusion)
- Frequency not reported: Retinal pigment epithelial tear, macular edema[Ref]
Severe vision decrease, equivalent of more than 4 lines, within 7 days after treatment has been reported in 1% to 5% of patients. Partial recovery of vision was observed in some patients.[Ref]
Local
- Common (1% to 10%): Injection site edema, injection site inflammation, injection site extravasation, injection site pain
- Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Injection site hemorrhage, injection site discoloration, injection site hypersensitivity
- Frequency not reported: Injection site vesicles, injection site necrosis[Ref]
Cardiovascular
- Common (1% to 10%): Chest pain, atrial fibrillation, peripheral vascular disorder, varicose veins
- Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Hypertension
- Frequency not reported: Irregular heart rate, blood pressure fluctuation, flushing, myocardial infarction[Ref]
Dermatologic
- Common (1% to 10%): Photosensitivity reaction, pruritus, skin disorder, eczema
- Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Rash, urticaria
- Frequency not reported: Hyperhidrosis[Ref]
Gastrointestinal
- Common (1% to 10%): Nausea, constipation, GI cancer
- Frequency not reported: Pelvic pain[Ref]
Hematologic
- Common (1% to 10%): Leukopenia, anemia, white blood cell count decreased, white blood cell count increased[Ref]
Hepatic
- Common (1% to 10%): Elevated liver function tests[Ref]
Musculoskeletal
- Common (1% to 10%): Back pain, arthrosis, arthralgia, myasthenia[Ref]
Nervous system
- Common (1% to 10%): Syncope, headache, vertigo
- Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Hypoesthesia, hyperesthesia
- Frequency not reported: Presyncope (vasovagal reactions)[Ref]
Respiratory
Genitourinary
- Common (1% to 10%): Prostatic disorder[Ref]
Other
- Common (1% to 10%): Asthenia, decreased hearing
- Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Pyrexia
- Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Malaise[Ref]
Hypersensitivity
- Common (1% to 10%): Hypersensitivity[Ref]
Immunologic
Metabolic
- Common (1% to 10%): Hypercholesterolemia, albuminuria, creatinine increased[Ref]
Psychiatric
- Common (1% to 10%): Sleep disorder[Ref]
See also:
Syfovre
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Eylea
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Izervay
Izervay (avacincaptad pegol) is used for treating geographic atrophy (GA) due to age-related ...
Vabysmo
Vabysmo eye injection is used to treat eye diseases neovascular (wet) age-related macular ...
Lucentis
Lucentis is used to treat the wet form of age-related macular degeneration. Learn about side ...
Byooviz
Byooviz injection is used to treat types of macular degeneration, macular edema and mCNV. Byooviz ...
Pavblu
Pavblu (aflibercept-ayyh) is a biosimilar to Eylea that may be used to treat the following eye ...
Eylea HD
Eylea HD is used to treat neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic ...
Pegcetacoplan ophthalmic
Pegcetacoplan eye injections (Syfovre) are used to treat geographic atrophy (GA), the dry, advanced ...
Ranibizumab ophthalmic
Ranibizumab ophthalmic is used for diabetic macular edema, diabetic retinopathy, macular ...
References
1. (2001) "Product Information. Visudyne (verteporfin)." Valeant Pharmaceuticals
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Visudyne side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.
Note: Medication side effects may be underreported. If you are experiencing side effects that are not listed, submit a report to the FDA by following this guide.