What does it feel like to get an injection in my eye?

As retinal specialists, we give hundreds of intraocular injections (injections into the eye) each month.  Patients with macular degeneration, diabetes, vein occlusions, and now macular holes receive injections to treat their disease, often monthly.

When we first tell a patient he or she will be receiving an injection into his or her eye, there is always a degree of fear that the patient feels.  After all, an injection in the arm hurts bad enough, how much pain does an injection into the eye cause?  The answer, more often than not, surprises the patient- not much.  In fact, many patients report not even feeling the injection or feeling only a small amount of pressure.

To prepare for the injection, we numb the eye.  Then, we use a very small (30 gauge) needle to inject the medication.  Between the numbing and the small needle, the procedure is usually over before the patient knows it.

The day of the injection, patients often report mild stinging or burning in the eye. This is due to a combination of the numbing medicine and the betadine, the medicine we use to kill the bacteria in the eye.  The stinging is usually gone by the next day.

If  the patient continues to have pain the day after or increasing pain and swelling around the eye, we encourage them to call us immediately to discuss this as it could be a sign of an infection.

So, if you are having an intraocular injection, you can rest easy knowing that most patients experience only mild, if any, discomfort, from the process.

This is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice.  Please consult your physician for medical advice.

Genetic Testing for Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is a prevalent disease that is becoming more so with the aging population.  9.1 million Americans have macular degeneration today.  A common question of patients is whether they should have a genetic test to determine if they are going to have macular degeneration or if their macular degeneration will progress to the advanced stage.

There are several companies that now offer genetic testing for macular degeneration.  The tests examine certain genes that have been linked to macular degeneration such as complement factors, metabolic genes, energy metabolizing genes, extracellular matrix pathway genes. Then, the patient is stratified into categories based on the combination of their genes.  Often, the testing is covered by insurance companies.  However, the question is whether there is any benefit to the testing.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology recently addressed this question in a statement.  Their position is that genetic testing for macular degeneration is NOT recommended.  The position of the Academy is that screening exams are more productive for a patient than a genetic test that may or may not accurately predict the risk of AMD. Specifically, they state that "Although several genotypes are associated with increased risk for AMD, at this time, genetic testing provides no proven advantage in preventing or treating the disease."  The Academy does suggest that in the future, treatments might be targeted based on genetic typing, at which time the testing would become valuable, but for now no such treatments exist.  However, some argue that if a patient is high risk then he or she should have more frequent screenings to catch a neovascular membrane sooner.  Currently, there are no studies that show more frequent screening in genetically high risk patients to be helpful.

Some patients do still chose genetic testing for macular degeneration for their own knowledge.  This is certainly an option for such patients.  However, even with a low risk score, patients should continue to undergo regular screening exams. 


If you have questions about genetic testing and macular degeneration, consult your eye care professional.


This blog is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice. Please consult an eye care professional.

At home visual acuity monitoring

SightBook is an application that you can download onto your iPhone or iPad that offers visual acuity testing, amsler grid testing, and various other vision tests.

When you register your account, it will record your results over time and allows you to not only keep track of your vision but also your treatments. The app will also notify you daily, weekly, or monthly to remind you that you need to take your test.

If your visual acuity changes, your application will automatically notify the physician you have selected.

Today, we have treatments for many vision threatening diseases, but prompt visits to your physician when you experience a change have been shown to improve your visual outcome over time. This free app allows you to keep track of your vision and be aware sooner of any changes.

To download the app, go to App Store and download SightBook. Make sure your register your account so that your results are stored and can be shared with your physician.

If you have an account and would like to add us, we are account number 149. 

For more information, please go to www.digisight.net

Visit us at www.ncretina.com