Topical anesthesia for intravitreal injection

Abstract

In-office intravitreal delivery of medications has currently become the standard of care treatment for a variety of ocular conditions, including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease, cystoid macular edema, and vascular occlusions. Patients undergoing an intravitreal injection procedure most commonly experience pain at the injection site, which has led physicians to explore the best means to decrease or to abolish pain sensation. Currently, no method of topical anesthesia prior to intravitreal injection administration has been proven to eliminate pain completely. Comparisons between different topical anesthetic agents have not yielded a consensus superior agent to be widely recommended for regular use. In order to minimize pain and reduce anxiety, addressing the patient's injection-related concerns is important.