Ask a Doctor: What is the purpose of eye injections?

Q: My neighbor gets injections in her eye. What are they for, and do they hurt?

A: Certain eye conditions, like wet macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and retinal vein occlusion, require injection of specialized medicine into the eye.

One family of medication is called anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) and includes Avastin, Lucentis and Eylea. These medications help treat swelling in the retina.

The typical injection process is performed in the office and involves numbing the eye with a local anesthetic, cleaning the eye with an antiseptic and the actual injection.

The injection is performed with a tiny needle into the white part of the eye. Most patients feel nothing or a little pressure. Less commonly, patients may feel moderate discomfort that lasts a few seconds. There is typically some irritation after from the iodine antiseptic solution. The eye usually feels back to normal in a few hours or by the next morning.

Serious complications such as infection or retinal detachment are rare. Injections are performed by ophthalmologists, typically retina specialists who have additional training and expertise with retinal disease.

While most patients have anxiety before their first injection, the routine usually becomes quite tolerable, especially knowing that these revolutionary treatments oftentimes can help improve vision in conditions that were previously progressive.

– Devon H. Ghodasra, M.D., Southeastern Retina Associates; member, Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society.