4 Things To Know About Eye Injections
The thought of receiving eye injections can be daunting. However, in certain situations, receiving one or more eye injections is necessary. Conditions such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and optic neuritis can be treated by an injection into the eye. Injections into the eye may be required once or multiple times. There are potential benefits of receiving an injection into the eyes over other methods of treatment delivery.
Why Other Medications Do Not Work
When medications need to reach the inside of the eye, there are limited options. Oral medications are transported through the bloodstream to reach the eye. However, it can be difficult to achieve the required dose in the eye without causing unwanted secondary effects. Topical eye drop medications may also have limited transmission from the front of the eye to the back of the eye. An injection into the eye allows the medication to reach the retina and the rest of the back of the eye. A higher dose is also able to reach this area compared to oral medication or topical eye drop medications.
Surgery vs. Injections
Surgery to the retina is another treatment option for certain conditions that are treated with an injection into the eye. However, surgery is a much more invasive procedure with significant risks. Thus, an injection into the eye is a less risky and invasive treatment option.
Types of Medications Injected into the Eye
There are three main categories of medications that can be injected into the eye. Anti-VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) medications are among the most commonly injected into the eye. These medications prevent new blood vessel growth that may occur after damage has occurred to a blood vessel or when a clot is blocking blood flow to the retina. The three medications in this class are Avastin, Lucentis, and Eylea. Steroids, typically triamcinolone, are another medication injected into the eyes. They are anti-inflammatory medications that aim to reduce swelling in the retina or other parts of the eye. The third class of medications that can be injected into the eye is antibiotics. Though they are commonly available in both oral and topical forms, if an infection that warrants antibiotic use is severe and situated in the back of the eye, a mix of antibiotics can be injected directly into the eye.
Why Eye Injections Are Needed
Certain conditions necessitate eye injections. Neovascularization, or new blood vessel growth, often requires the injection of anti-VEGF medication. These conditions include age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, stroke in the eye, and Best’s Disease. Swelling or inflammation in the back of the eye is another condition that can require an injection of a steroid. Diabetic retinopathy and optic neuritis are conditions that can be treated with a steroid injection into the eye.
Receiving an injection into the eye can be necessary to treat certain eye diseases. Though it may be scary to consider, there are benefits to using this method of delivery over others. Injection into the eye allows for medication to reach the inside of the eye at a higher concentration than oral or topical medication. With multiple medications available for injection, treatment is catered to the individual’s specific condition. For patients with neovascularization or swelling in the eye, injections may be a necessary and successful treatment option.
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