Eye Injections

Eye injections may sound uncomfortable, but you don’t feel any pain and the treatment delivers medications that prevent vision loss caused by retinal diseases. At Retina Consultants of Austin, with offices in Austin, Lakeway, Marble Falls, and Round Rock, Texas, the experienced ophthalmologists have extensive experience performing eye injections to treat common problems affecting your retina. To learn more about these advanced treatments, call the nearest office or schedule an appointment online today.

What are eye injections?

Eye injections deliver medications to the inside of your eye. The medications are placed in the vitreous (the gel-like fluid filling your eye) near the retina (at the back of your eye). The benefit of an eye injection is that it delivers a specific dose directly to the damaged tissues. 

What conditions are treated with eye injections?

Retina Consultants of Austin may recommend eye injections for: 

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

AMD occurs when the macula (an area in the center of your retina) thins out, damaging specialized cells needed for sharp, clear vision. You can develop two types of AMD, dry and wet, but eye injections are only used for wet macular degeneration.

Wet macular degeneration occurs when abnormal blood vessels develop. These weak vessels leak blood and fluids, causing swelling that damages the macula. 

Diabetic eye disease

High blood sugar damages small blood vessels in your eye, resulting in diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema.

Diabetic retinopathy causes blood vessels in your retina to swell and leak, leading to the same abnormal blood vessel growth as AMD. Diabetic macular edema develops when the fluids build up, causing swelling that damages the macula. 

Retinal vein occlusion

The veins in your retina may become blocked (occluded) due to a blood clot. This leads to fluid leaking from the veins and into your retina. 

What type of eye injection might I need?

Eye injections typically contain one of two medications:

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) medications

Anti-VEGF drugs stop the production of abnormal blood vessels. This reduces your risk of bleeding and retinal damage.

You may need more frequent injections at the start of your treatment. Some people may be able to stop anti-VEGF injections; others will need to keep getting them to prevent vision loss. 

Corticosteroids

Your provider may inject corticosteroids alone or together with anti-VEGF medications. Corticosteroids reduce retinal swelling and inflammation.

What happens during an eye injection?

Before your injection, your Retina Consultants of Austin provider puts numbing medication in your eye. Then, they clean your eye with an antiseptic to prevent infections and use a very small needle to inject the medication.

After your injection, your eye may feel slightly irritated (due to the antiseptic) and you may see floating air bubbles. These side effects go away in a few days.

To learn more about eye injections, call Retina Consultants of Austin or schedule an appointment online today.