Intravitreal injection (eye injection)

Text size:
Last updated 4/19/2021
Retinal injections, Assil Gaur Eye Institute

WHAT ARE INTRAVITREAL INJECTIONS? 

Simply put, an intravitreal injection is a procedure performed to introduce medicine directly into the gel-filled center of your eye. We know it sounds scary, but in reality, it is not, nor is it painful, something that you will realize after you’ve had it done the first time.

 

Intravitreal injections are used to administer a number of medicines to treat a variety of retinal conditions associated with vision loss. These include macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and retinal vein occlusion, among others.

 

This procedure is usually performed by a retina specialist in the doctor's office.

What meds are given via eye injections?

 

Medications include:

 

  • Anti-VEGF medicines used to reduce bleeding and leakage from blood vessels associated with diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, and retinal vein occlusion.
  • Steroids may be administered to treat inflammatory conditions within your eye.
  • Anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal medications may be delivered directly into your eye to treat infections.

 

How are eye injections performed? Are they painful?

Although the thought of getting a needle stuck in your eye sounds terrifying to most people, it’s a nearly painless 15-minute procedure. These injections are so common that they are performed every daily in our clinics. Once we explain the procedure, you'll find that it's really not scary.

 

After you are seated comfortably in our reclined procedure chair, your doctor places numbing eye drops into your eye and thoroughly cleanses your eye inside and out with a mild betadine solution.

 

When the numbing drops have taken effect after several minutes, an instrument will be carefully placed over your eye to hold your eyelids wide open. Your doctor may ask you to direct your gaze toward your other eye.

 

Next, your doctor will introduce into the gel-filled center of your eye a small dose of medicine through a syringe with a very fine needle that has the thickness of a piece of hair. You may feel slight pressure, but no pain, during the injection.

 

The needle is then removed and a sterile cotton swab is momentarily pressed against the tiny puncture wound to provide gentle pressure. A mild saline solution is used to irrigate and gently lubricate your eye, washing off the betadine solution that was used to clean your eye. No eye patch is needed because the eye's surface tissue seals itself off naturally.

 

Following your procedure, your doctor may hold up her hand and ask you to count how many fingers you can see. Or she might perform other tests. You may be sent home with antibiotic drops or lubricating ointment.

 

You should arrange to have transportation home, because your vision may be blurred for several hours following the injection. Some patients may notice floating dots or shadows in the eye which will fade over the next several weeks.

 

How will I feel after getting an eye injection?

Actually, very few patients report some soreness after the anesthesia wears off several hours following their procedure. Discomfort is usually adequately managed with Tylenol.

 

Few describe sensitivity and tearing or the urge to rub their eye. It's very important to avoid rubbing your eyes following this procedure because you can easily harm the surface of your eye! This is because the betadine solution used to cleanse your eye can dry your eye's surface, making it vulnerable to being easily scratched.

 

Your eye doctor may recommend artificial tears to help lubricate the eye. The itchiness symptoms should resolve in 2 days.

 

Fortunately, because your cornea is one of the fastest healing tissues in the human body, the puncture wound from your injection very rarely bleeds and is fully healed within 48 hours.

 

Are there any complications or risks with getting an eye injection? 

Complications following an eye injection are extremely rare. In fact, the chance of having any complication following the injection of medicine into your eye is one in one thousand. A minor rare complication can be the presence of a small amount of bleeding visible in the white of your eye near the needle entry point. This usually clears up in one week.

 

The most serious risks following an eye injection include:

 

  • Getting an infection inside the eye
  • Inflammation within the eye
  • Bleeding inside the eye's gel-filled center
  • Retinal detachment

 

While all of these complications are treatable, they can all compromise your vision.

 

 

2098 Total 1st Party Reviews
4.9 out of 5 Stars
  • Google
    Dr. Svetlana Pilyugina is by far the best
    Retinal Specialist / Surgeon in California.
    Massoud G.
  • GatherUp
    The office staff were courteous and friendly. The doctor was very informative and thorough. I really appreciate how kind the do...
    Catherine F.
  • GatherUp
    Best Doctor ever
    Afsaneh A.
  • GatherUp
    This is a wonderful experience every time I have come and the great care and professionalism is appreciated
    Maria D.
  • GatherUp
    You guys are fantastic. Always take good care of me.
    Joseph T.
  • GatherUp
    Great service
    Emma C.
  • GatherUp
    Dr. Sodhi Gaur and all staff continue to extend their warm concern and care for my needs.
    Sharyn A.
  • GatherUp
    I am very pleased.
    Aida Y.
  • GatherUp
    Dr. Assil is a skilled and innovative surgeon who is also a compassion and warm person. Personally, I think he is a genius who ...
    Stephanie B.
  • Google
    Dr. May and the entire staff at Assil Eye institute are AWESOME. Dr. May always answers all my questions and gives me peace of...
    Karin S.
  • Google
    I just got my lasik completed at the Assil Gaur Eye Institute and I cannot tell you how excited and happy I am with the result....
    Ziari A.
  • GatherUp
    Excellent and hospitable staff!
    Dimitri S.
Look Who Trusts Their Eyes to Assil Gaur Eye Institute...
  • LeBron James

    Los Angeles Lakers

    LeBron James is one of the NBA's greatest of all time. He absolutely depends on his vision to perform at the very highest level. That's why he's an AGEI LASIK surgery patient.

  • Anthony Davis

    Los Angeles Lakers
  • Chris Paul

    Phoenix Suns
  • Paul George

    Los Angeles Clippers
  • Marlee Matlin

    Actress
  • Michelle Williams

    Actress
  • Dwyane Wade

    Miami Heat (retired)
  • LaToya Jackson

    Entertainer
  • Lorenzo Lamas

    Actor
  • Philip Bailey

    Earth Wind and Fire
  • Gary Sinise

    Actor
  • Rip Hamilton

    Former NBA player
  • John Salley

    Commentator, former NBA player
  • Blair Underwood

    Actor
  • Tom Arnold
    Comedian/Actor
  • Troy Evans
    Actor
  • John Noble
    Actor
  • Isaac Eddy
    Actor/Director/Teacher
  • Barbara Rush
    Actress
  • John Emerson
    US Ambassador to Germany
  • Shane Mosley
    Former professional boxer
  • Cuttino Mobley
    Former NBA player
  • Seth Gordon
    Director
  • Maurice Evans
    Former NBA player
  • Wang Luoyong
    Actor
  • Jesse Metcalfe
    Actor
  • Ananda Lewis
    Television Personality
  • Rob Brydon
    Comedian
  • Clifton Collins Jr.
    Actor
  • Malinda Williams
    Actress
  • Adrienne Frantz
    Actress
  • Brad Pitt
    Actor
  • LeBron James
    Los Angeles Lakers
  • Anthony Davis
    Los Angeles Lakers
  • Chris Paul
    Phoenix Suns
  • Courtney Cox
    Actress
  • Paul George
    Los Angeles Clippers
  • Marlee Matlin
    Actress
  • Michelle Williams
    Actress
  • Dwyane Wade
    Miami Heat (retired)
  • Jalen Brunson
    Dallas Mavericks
  • Mychal Thompson
    Commentator, former NBA player
  • LaToya Jackson
    Entertainer
  • Lorenzo Lamas
    Actor
  • Philip Bailey
    Earth Wind and Fire
  • Gary Sinise
    Actor
  • Rip Hamilton
    Former NBA player
  • John Salley
    Commentator, former NBA player
  • Blair Underwood
    Actor
  • Tom Arnold
    Comedian/Actor
  • Troy Evans
    Actor
  • John Noble
    Actor
  • Isaac Eddy
    Actor/Director/Teacher
  • Barbara Rush
    Actress
  • Rudy Garciduenas
    Blue Man Group
  • John Emerson
    US Ambassador to Germany
  • Shane Mosley
    Former professional boxer
  • Cuttino Mobley
    Former NBA player
  • Seth Gordon
    Director
  • Maurice Evans
    Former NBA player
  • Cheri Blauwet
    Physician and Wheelchair Racer
  • Wang Luoyong
    Actor
  • Jesse Metcalfe
    Actor
  • Jeana Wilson
    Actress
  • Courtnee Draper
    Actress
  • Ananda Lewis
    Television Personality
  • Robyn Johnson
    Producer
  • Rob Brydon
    Comedian
  • Cary Schuman
    Actor
  • Roland Buddy Lewis Jr.
    Comedian
  • Clifton Collins Jr.
    Actor
  • Malinda Williams
    Actress
  • Chad Jeffers
    Musician
  • Adrienne Frantz
    Actress
  • Franco Carlotto
    Body Builder
  • Brad Mates
    Musician
  • David Pichette
    Musician
  • Mike Melacon
    Professional Baseball Player
  • Nautica de la Cruz
    Radio Personality
  • Lynn Conkwright
    Body Builder
  • Nely Galan
    Producer
  • Roxanne Galla
    Actress