Eye injections (intravitreal injections)

What it is

An intravitreal injection puts medicine into the jelly-like centre of the eye, close to the retina. The most common medicines, called anti-VEGF, reduce abnormal blood vessels and leakage at the back of the eye, which is what damages vision in conditions such as wet macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease.

What happens

Injections are given in a clinic with careful cleaning and numbing.

• Drops to numb the eye and clean the surface to prevent infection
• A holder to keep the eye gently open
• A very fine needle delivers the medicine in a few seconds
• The whole visit is short, though you wait beforehand for preparation

What to expect afterwards

Your eye may feel gritty or look a little red for a day or two, and you might see some floaters. These usually settle quickly. Seek urgent advice if you get increasing pain, redness, or loss of vision afterwards, as infection is a rare but important risk.

How often they are needed

Treatment is usually a course of injections rather than a one-off, often starting monthly and then spaced out based on how your eye responds. Regular scans and check-ups guide how often you need them, sometimes over a long period.