Intraocular Needle Treatment in Izmir, Turkey

Intraocular needle treatment in Izmir is a treatment that has been increasingly applied in the last 10-15 years. Although it may seem scary to patients, it is actually a simple application. It is widely used especially in the hemorrhagic type of macular degeneration, diabetes-related vision loss, vascular occlusions and bleeding in the eye.

Before the procedure, the eye is cleaned with antiseptic water. An anesthetic agent is dripped to prevent pain. The needle used is extremely thin. The injection is made through the white part of the eye, called the sclera, slightly outside the colored part of the eye. It’s a process of a few seconds. The patient may feel a very slight stinging during application. After the injection, antibiotic drops are instilled into the eye regularly. The eyes are closed for a few days to prevent infection. Although intraocular injection is a simple procedure, it is a surgical intervention. It should be applied under operating room conditions, paying attention to antisepsis. Care should be taken to avoid contracting germs during and after the procedure.

Prof. Dr. Tansu Erakgün Retina Diseases and Vitreoretinal Surgery Specialist

Born on March 20, 1968, in İzmir, Prof. Dr. Tansu Erakgün completed his middle education at Saint Joseph College and his high school education at Karşıyaka Gazi High School. After graduating from Ege University Faculty of Medicine in 1992, which he entered in 1986, he began his residency training in the Department of Ophthalmology at Ege University Faculty of Medicine Hospital in the same year. In 1997, he became a specialist...

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What is intraocular needle? Why is it done?

Current treatment methods for retinal treatment include intraocular injections, that is, needle treatments.

Unfortunately, drops and ointments applied to the surface of the eye cannot be effective on the back layers of the eye, but are only effective on the superficial layers of the eye.

In order to provide effective treatment to the layer at the back of the eye, which we call the retina layers, it is necessary to either administer very intense heavy drugs intravenously to the body, or very small volumes of drugs are injected into the inner cavity of the eye, called the vitreous cavity, with very small needles.

These injectable drugs are very powerful and truly therapeutically effective drugs of recent years. And especially these injection treatments; It is recommended for diabetes, macular degeneration and vascular occlusions.

The bleeding lesions in the visual center, which we call macular degeneration and which we see in elderly individuals, can be dried with the help of these injections and the vision of our patients can be preserved.

In diabetes, edema and bleeding may also occur in the visual center. These injections eliminate the leakage in the veins that may occur in diabetes and help in the rapid regression of bleeding.

In cases of vascular occlusion, edema and loss of function also develop in the visual center in the occluded area, and injections are also recommended for these patients.

The most commonly used drugs for intravitreal injections, which also have many indications, are corticosteroids and anti-mascular endothelial growth factor.

These increase vascular stability and accelerate the healing of vascular structures. However, this necessitates repeating the medications.

Our patients should receive these injections once a month or once every 2 months, depending on your doctor’s recommendation. If these injections are interrupted, it is observed that the disease reoccurs and the deterioration in the eye occurs again.

In the meantime, correcting blood sugar, balancing body blood pressure, and adding other treatments, if any, to the treatment scheme can make it easier to control diseases.

You should definitely communicate with your doctor, especially after injections. Because what we fear most are the infections that may occur within the first 3-5 days.

Injections are performed under sterile conditions in the operating room environment. And it is applied carefully by your physician under sterile covers. However, microorganisms settled on the surface of the eye have the risk of being carried into the eye with the help of a needle.

Therefore, against the risk of infection, your doctor will definitely give you some eye drops after the injection. You will be asked to use them.

If you have any eye complaints, especially if you experience complaints such as burrs, pain, severe pain, or blurred vision, it is very important to contact your physician. We recommend that they be especially careful in this regard.

How is Intraocular Needle Injection Done and Is It Safe?

Intraocular injections are generally safe and complications are rare. However, like any method, intraocular injections carry some risks. For example, there may be a risk of bacteria entering the eye during intraocular injections. Additionally, there may be a risk of breaking a drop or tube inside the eye during intraocular injections. These risks are rare and usually managed carefully by doctors. Intraocular injections are usually given in the form of a tube or drop placed inside the eye, and this method allows the drugs in the eye to be administered more effectively.

F.A.Q.

How many months does the effect of the eye injection last?

The effect of the eye shot may vary from person to person and may vary depending on the type of medication and where it is placed. The effect of the eye shot can usually be seen within a few weeks or months. However, in some cases the effect of the eye shot may take longer. For example, where the eye shot is placed and depending on the type of medication, the effect of the eye shot can last for several years or a lifetime.

Is eye needle dangerous?

Eye injection is a medication administered into the eye and is generally used for the treatment of macular bleeding or edema or intraocular bleeding within the eye. Eye injection is a surgical procedure and thus, like any surgical procedure, it involves some risks. However, eye needle surgery is generally a safe procedure and produces successful results for most people.

What should be taken into consideration after eye injection?

Make sure to keep follow-up appointments after surgery: Your ophthalmologist may have scheduled follow-up appointments after surgery. You should strictly keep these appointments and let your ophthalmologist know about any problems that occur after surgery. In addition, your ophthalmologist will give you instructions about post-surgical wound care. You must follow these instructions and pay attention to cleaning and care of the wound.

Reference:

https://assileye.com/procedures/intraocular-injections

Shields, J. A., Shields, C. L., Ehya, H., Eagle Jr, R. C., & Patrick De Potter, M. D. (1993). Fine-needle aspiration biopsy of suspected intraocular tumors: the 1992 Urwick lecture. Ophthalmology, 100(11), 1677-1684.