Intravitreal injection is a procedure where medicines are injected directly into the jelly-like material inside your eye known as the vitreous. Intravitreal injections are a common method to treat retinal diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, macular oedema and vein occlusions.
This procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis. Your doctor will first numb your eye with anaesthetic drops. A special instrument will be used to keep your eye open. Your eye will then be washed with an antiseptic solution. Depending on your condition, your doctor will then inject the appropriate medication directly into the vitreous of your eye. Usually, patients need to have the procedure repeated at regular intervals to maintain good vision.
It is quite normal to feel pressure or mild discomfort during the procedure. Some patients may see floaters straight after the injection or notice bleeding on the surface of their eye. These side effects will usually resolve spontaneously; discomfort can be managed with lubricating eye drops. However, some of the less common and more severe complications include bleeding in the eye, infection, and cataract formation.
