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Intravitreal injections offer a means to treat certain retinal conditions by placing medications directly into the vitreous humor, which is the clear and watery-like substance that maintains eye shape and helps with shock absorption. They offer an indispensable tool for maximizing the level of medications inside the eye.
Intravitreal injections are used to deliver a variety of drugs and therapeutic agents, including:
An intravitreal injection is performed as an in-office procedure. Before the injection, the doctor will explain every step and what to expect during the process and afterward. After numbing the eyes and cleansing the eyes and eyelids, a tiny, thin needle delivers the medication through the white part of the eye. A device known as an eyelid speculum holds the eye open for this relatively short procedure.
Lucentis contains the active drug ranibizumab, which is an anti-VEGF inhibitor. Delivered via intravitreal injection, Lucentis slows the growth of abnormal new blood vessels while decreasing any leakage from them. Lucentis helps prevent vision loss and blindness from retinal disease and, in some cases, offers vision improvement.
FDA-approved to treat the following conditions in adults:
Avastin contains the active drug bevacizumab, which blocks VEGF to slow the growth of abnormal blood vessels in the eye.
Initially approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat different types of cancer but has been demonstrated safe and effective for "off label" use to treat eye disease.
Similar to Lucentis, Avastin offers therapeutic value in the treatment of the following conditions:
EYLEA is the brand name for aflibercept, an anti-VEGF medication that slows the growth of abnormal blood vessels in the eye.
EYLEA offers therapeutic value for the treatment of the following conditions:
Ozurdex is a tiny, biodegradable dexamethasone intravitreal implant designed for placement in the vitreous humor via an intravitreal injection. As this implant slowly dissolves, it releases medication to address any macula edema associated with branch retinal vein occlusion or central retinal vein occlusion. Ozurdex is also used to treat diabetic macula edema and noninfectious posterior uveitis.
