Eye Injections for Macular Degeneration: What to Expect

Macular degeneration, often referred to as age-related macular degeneration, affects a larger population of seniors than other groups and impairs the vision of over 19 million people in America alone. Around 1 in 10 people over 50 have the early stages of it, and 1 in 100 have the later stages, where the effects on your eyes are more damaging.

This retinal illness isn’t curable, but treatments like anti-VEGF injections work effectively to slow down the impact it has on your eyes. If you’ve never had this treatment before, let’s take a closer look at macular degeneration, how this injection treats it, and what to expect during treatment.

Dr. Jeffrey Rapkin and his dedicated staff at Retina Consultants of Muncie are committed to helping Muncie, Indiana, residents preserve their vision for as long as possible with treatments for many retinal problems, including macular degeneration.

Understanding macular degeneration

The macula, the center of your retina, controls your central vision, the ability to see things directly in front of you. Macular degeneration damages this ability over time, leading to limited vision, but not complete blindness. 

While most common in people over 50, several other factors contribute to your risk, such as:

• Family history
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Hypertension
• A diet high in saturated fat

This eye disease comes in two types: wet and dry. The dry form is more common, making up around 90% of cases, and is caused by a buildup of drusen in your eyes that thins the macula. The wet version is due to abnormal blood vessel growth, and the fluid buildup causes the macula to bulge.

Facts about Anti-VEGF injections

Short for vascular endothelial growth factor, anti-VEGF treatments work to target and eliminate abnormal blood vessels, which, for wet macular degeneration, is essential in slowing the buildup of fluids under the macula. It’s effective enough that as many as 90% of the people who have it done see the loss of vision reduced or halted. 

Anti-VEGF medication goes by several different names and is used in many other treatments, including reducing issues with diabetic macular edema, some forms of cancer, and other degenerative eye conditions and inflammatory illnesses.

The injection process

To receive the injection, you’re seated in a reclined chair, and Dr. Rapkin applies an anesthetic to your eyelids and eyes to prevent discomfort. A wet or cool sensation during this stage is completely normal. Next, he drops a medical-grade cleaning solution in your eyes to prevent bacterial infection.

After that, he gently places an eyelid speculum to keep your eye open for the injection. This prevents your eyes from closing or blinking. 

The injection goes into the white area of your eye (the sclera). Feeling pressure is normal, but it won’t hurt. Overall, the entire process takes about 15 minutes per eye.

Eye injections can be very effective in slowing the progression of macular degeneration. While the notion of something being injected into your eye is understandably scary, the process is safe and effective in preserving your visual health. 

Make an appointment with Dr. Rapkin and the Retina Consultants of Muncie team today to find out more about this treatment.