Eye Injections (Intravitreal)

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Intravitreal injections put medicine directly into the jelly (vitreous) inside the eye, close to the retina where it is needed. They have transformed the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular oedema and retinal vein occlusion, and have saved the sight of millions of people. The injection itself takes a few seconds and is much less uncomfortable than most people expect.

Why it is given

• Anti-VEGF medicines (such as ranibizumab, aflibercept, bevacizumab, faricimab, brolucizumab) block a protein that causes leaky, abnormal blood vessels and swelling in the retina.
• Steroid implants (such as a dexamethasone implant) reduce swelling and inflammation and last several months.
• Antibiotics or antivirals are sometimes injected for infections inside the eye.

On the day

1. You can eat and take your usual medicines, including blood thinners, unless told otherwise.
2. Your vision is checked and an OCT scan may be done.
3. Numbing drops are put in, and the skin around the eye and the eye surface are cleaned with antiseptic (povidone-iodine), which may sting.
4. A small clip keeps the eyelids open. You look away and feel a brief pressure as the fine needle goes in; it takes a few seconds.
5. You may see black floating circles or bubbles afterwards; these disappear within a day.

After the injection

• A gritty feeling or a red spot on the white of the eye is common and harmless; it fades in one to two weeks.
• Use lubricating drops if the eye is scratchy. Do not rub the eye.
• Avoid swimming and eye makeup for 3 days.
• Bring someone to take you home; do not drive on the day.

Contact us immediately (day or night) if

• Pain that is getting worse, especially 2 to 5 days later
• Vision becoming more blurred
• The eye becoming very red or sticky
• Flashes or a curtain over the vision

These can be signs of infection inside the eye (endophthalmitis), which happens in about 1 in 2,000 to 5,000 injections and needs urgent treatment.

How many injections?

Most people start with one injection a month for 3 months. After that the gap is usually lengthened step by step ("treat and extend") as long as the retina stays dry on the scan. Many people need injections for years. Missing appointments is the main reason vision is lost, so keep every visit.

Frequently asked questions

Related: Retina Treatment in Ahmedabad, Diabetic Retinopathy Treatment Ahmedabad, Amsler Grid: Printable Home Test for Macular Degeneration.

This leaflet gives general information and does not replace advice from your own eye doctor. Reviewed by Dr. Dhaval Patel, MD (Ophthalmology, AIIMS New Delhi), November 2026.