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An injection is a medical procedure used to deliver medication directly into the vitreous, the clear gel at the back of the eye. This method help drugs reach the retina and macula quickly and effectively. Eye injections treat several serious vision-threatening diseases.
read more about an eye injection ...The procedure is fast and performed in an eye doctor's office. The eye surface is cleaned and numbed with anesthetic drops. A small instrument holds the eyelids open. The doctor uses a fine needle to inject a small dose of medicine into the back of the eye. Patients feel pressure but no pain during the injection. The medication then spreads to the retina to begin working.
Eye injections manage diseases that cause blood vessel growth, swelling, or leakage in the retina. The most common conditions include:
Common injected medicines are Anti-VEGF agents and corticosteroids. Anti-VEGF drugs block signals that cause blood vessels to grow and leak. Corticosteroids decrease inflammation and swelling within the eye structures. The doctor selects the drug based on the specific condition being treated.
The injection takes only a few seconds. After, patients might notice a feeling of something in the eye, or small spots (floaters) from the medication bubble. These effects resolve within a few days. Patients follow up with their doctor to monitor the eye's response to the drug.
No, the eye is numbed with anesthetic drops before the procedure, so patients feel only slight pressure.
Results vary by condition and medication, but most require repeated treatments every few weeks or months.
Doctors advise against driving immediately due to temporary blurring from the numbing drops and the procedure.
If you experience a sudden increase in pain, excessive redness, or a "curtain" over your vision following an intravitreal injection, contact your retinal specialist immediately. These can be signs of rare complications like endophthalmitis (infection) or retinal detachment.
AAO. Intravitreal Injections (aao.org). 2024.
American Society of Retina Specialists. Eye Injections (asrs.org). 2023.
Mayo Clinic. Macular Degeneration Treatment (mayoclinic.org). 2024.