When eye drops and pills do not deliver a high enough amount of medication to the retina. Injections are the most efficient and safe way of treating many diseases including wet macular degeneration.
Do intraocular injections hurt?
Typically intraocular injections don’t hurt. The most common sensation is a slight burning sensation that is related to the antiseptic used to clean the surface of the eye.
How are intraocular injections performed?
If you need an injection of medication drops will be put in the eye to numb the eye and minimize discomfort from the procedure.
The eye is carefully cleaned with an iodine solution to reduce the risk of infection. The injection is given using a tiny needle that enters the eye through the white part of the eye (sclera) close to the front of the eye.
What are the risks of intraocular injections?
An intraocular injection is generally a very safe procedure. Occasionally side effects can occur, most minor and some very serious.
Commonly, a spot of bleeding may develop on the surface of the eye at the site of the injection. The bleeding is painless and usually causes no symptoms at all, resolving over a few days.
Infections are the most serious risk but only rarely occur. They happen in about 1 out of every 2,000-3,000 injections.
Side effects outside of the eye are rare since only a small amount of medication is injected into the eye.
