An intravitreal injection is a painless injection of medicine into the vitreous, which is the jelly-like substance inside the eye. The procedure is performed to place medicines inside the eye, near the retina. Intravitreal injections are a treatment that can be used with retinal diseases.
Many retinal specialists choose to manage retina diseases with an injection of medicine into the eye. We are fortunate to live in a time when these retinal diseases can be treated. Prior to having the intravitreal injection procedure available, many eyes with sight threatening conditions would experience severe vision loss and even blindness.
The medicines help stop the growth of new blood vessels and prevent leakage by blocking the effects of protein signals the eye creates as a response to the retinal disease.
In general, there are two types of medication that retina specialists inject in the eye to treat retinal diseases: steroids and medications that block vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) which is a chemical signal that causes abnormal blood vessel leakage and growth. These are used because they have been proven to safely and effectively stop the growth and tissue damage that results from the progression of abnormal blood vessels in the eye thus preventing further loss of vision. You can learn more about retinal diseases here.
Injections of steroids into the eye have been used for many years to treat inflammation and tissue swelling. Presently, steroid injections are reserved for eye problems that have been resistant to other types of treatment. While steroid injections can be very effective and last much longer than some other treatments, they can often cause eye pressure to rise which may lead to the development of glaucoma.
These steroids are used to treat inflammation or swelling in the eye and include:
Nearly two decades ago, a protein found throughout the body that promotes blood vessel growth was discovered to be one of the major driving forces behind abnormal blood vessel leakage and bleeding in the eye. This protein, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), is thought to cause abnormal blood vessel growth and leakage in wet macular degeneration, diabetes, and a variety of other retinal blood vessel diseases. By blocking the VEGF, retina specialists are able to stop, control and reverse the damage caused by the diseased retinal blood vessels.
Medications that block VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) stop chemical signals in the eye that lead to vision loss from abnormal blood vessel leakage and growth. These medications include:
There are many factors that your retina specialist at Wolfe Eye Clinic will consider in selecting which medication is best for your situation. Our goal is to preserve your vision safely with the least amount of treatment.
While the intravitreal injections are effective in controlling the disease, they do not usually cure the disease. Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing how many treatments your eye will require as every eye is unique. You should take comfort in knowing that your retina specialist will be working hard to preserve your vision with the least number of treatments. It is possible that you will require regular treatments by a retina specialist to maintain the beneficial effect of the medicine and preserve vision. In some instances, you may even recover some vision as a response to the medicine over time.
The retina specialists in Iowa at Wolfe Eye Clinic will work very closely with you to achieve maximum results while minimizing the number of treatments as much as possible to meet your needs. Wolfe Eye Clinic has expertise in utilizing intravitreal injections for many retinal conditions in their Iowa locations.
Unfortunately, effective alternatives to eye injections do not exist for most retinal diseases right now. Occasionally laser treatments can be helpful in some situations but rarely as a true alternative. Your retina specialist at Wolfe Eye Clinic will work with you to safely reduce the number of injections as much as possible. Wolfe Eye Clinic’s retina specialists in Iowa are consistently researching future alternatives by participating in clinical trials looking at more effective medications, alternative long-term drug delivery systems, and even gene therapy to treat many diseases that require injection today.
Wolfe Eye Clinic has extensive experience with intravitreal injections and treating macular degeneration. Wolfe Eye Clinic retina specialists offer care and surgery for retina diseases in Iowa with locations in Ames, Ankeny, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Fort Dodge, Iowa City, Marshalltown, Ottumwa, Spencer, Waterloo, and Pleasant Hill.
If you have any retina-related questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please call us at (833) 474-5850 or request information here.
With more than 40 locations throughout Iowa, expert eye care is always close to home.
Whether you need a routine eye exam or advanced surgical care, our team is here to help you see your best.
