Eye Injections

If you have diabetic eye disease or a retinal vascular occlusion, eye injections can relieve uncomfortable symptoms and help preserve your vision. At Retina Consultants of Muncie in Muncie, Indiana, vitreoretinal ophthalmologist Jeffrey Rapkin, MD, regularly uses eye injections to treat various issues, including diabetic eye disease, age-related eye disease, and retinal vascular disease. Call Retina Consultants of Muncie today to request an eye injection consultation or book online. 

What are eye injections?

Eye injections, also known as intravitreal injections, deliver medication directly into your eye and surrounding tissues. Getting an eye injection might seem scary, but the process is quick, effective, and pain-free, thanks to modern medical advances.

What types of conditions might benefit from eye injections?

At Retina Consultants of Muncie, Dr. Rapkin uses eye injections to treat various conditions, including:

• Age-related macular degeneration
• Diabetic retinopathy
• Diabetic eye disease
• Retinal vascular disease
• Retinal vascular occlusions

Sometimes, Dr. Rapkin uses injections to treat ocular inflammation.

Am I a candidate for eye injections?

Dr. Rapkin reviews your medical records, asks about your symptoms, and completes a comprehensive eye exam. He may also order additional tests, including optical coherence tomography or a dilated eye exam, to get a closer look at your retina, macula, and the other components at the back of your eyes.

If you have diabetic, age-related, or retinal vascular eye disease, you may qualify for treatment.

What does getting eye injections involve?

Dr. Rapkin administers eye injections during an outpatient procedure.

First, he administers a local anesthetic, numbing the surfaces of your eyeballs. The anesthetic comes in a drop or gel form, so it’s completely painless.

Next, Dr. Rapkin cleans and sanitizes your eyelids and surrounding skin. Then, he uses a tool to hold your eyelids open and asks you to look in a specific direction.

Dr. Rapkin injects the medicine into a specific part of your eye. The needle is very thin and only goes through the whites of your eyes. You may feel mild pressure, but you won’t have any pain.

What is recovery like after eye injections?

After you get eye injections, you need someone to drive you home.

It’s normal to experience mild eye irritation during the first few days. You might also notice a spot of blood on your eye where the needle entered. 

Complications are rare, but if you experience pain or discomfort that lasts for more than a day or two or notice that it’s harder to see, contact Dr. Rapkin immediately.

Call Retina Consultants of Muncie today to see if you’re a candidate for eye injections, or book your appointment online.