Adeel Shaikh

Intravitreal Injections

Several medicines are currently used to treat a spectrum of retinal diseases. This is achieved by injecting the medicine directly into the eye. Intravitreal injection is the most direct way of introducing medicines into the eye to treat a variety of retinal disease. This avoids the systemic effects of oral and intravenous administration of medication.

Intravitreal injections are given within the office using topical anesthesia. During the process, the patient will recline in an examination chair, local anesthetic drops and gels are applied on the eye to anesthetize it, a lid speculum may be used to help keep the eyelids apart and betadine is used to sterilize the surface of the eye . Following this the injection procedure is performed and the eye is washed with sterile water. Occasionally, patients may feel a slight pressure on the eye when the injection is given.

Intravitreal injections are generally tolerated very well by the patients. There are usually no physical limitations after the injection.