Intravitreal Injections

Intraocular injection applications have become very common in the treatment of eye diseases, especially anti-VEGF injections from these intraocular injections have been a popular form of treatment in many eye diseases; VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) is a natural protein found in the body and is involved in many physiological processes such as vascularization of the placenta, wound healing, and bone growth; however, in some retinal diseases (the part of the eye that sees and perceives light is called the retina), the permeability of the eye vessels increases with the effect of this protein, and new vessel formations are observed and lead to the progression of the disease; For this purpose, anti-VGEF-containing drugs are administered into the eye to prevent the effect of this protein.

Anti VEGF injections are used in many eye diseases, the most important of which are macular degeneration and eye damage due to diabetes.

Age-related macular degeneration (yellow spot disease) In the community, symptoms of yellow spot disease are observed in one of every 4-5 people above the age of 50, and in one out of every two people at the age of 85. There can be two different types of yellow spot disease.

1. Dry Type macular degeneration: It is a type found in most patients. It develops with aging. Since it progresses slowly, vision loss is less and occurs in a long time.

2. Age Type macular degeneration: It is found in 10% of patients. It gives symptoms with abnormal vascularizations that develop from the back of the eye and leaks and bleedings that occur from these areas.

In this case, vision loss is sudden and severe. Anti VEGF injection is done for the treatment of abnormal vessels in wet yellow spot disease; treatment usually requires more than one injection and can be repeated at intervals of 4-6 weeks. In the picture below, a cross-section of the posterior wall of the eye is seen. In macular degeneration before the treatment, fluid accumulation due to leakage from the vessels is observed; After the treatment, it is seen that this fluid is withdrawn.

• Diabetic retinopathy (in the eye damage of diabetes) Abnormal veins may form behind the eyes of people with diabetes. These bleed into the eye and can result in blindness; at the same time, as a result of increased permeability of the vessels behind the eyes of these patients, fluid collection in the visual center (machine edema) may occur; Injection of anti VEGF is effective in the treatment of the disease by reducing vascular permeability and preventing the formation of abnormal vascularization.
Moreover ;

* In occlusion of retinal vessels

* in the treatment of veins behind the eyes of premature babies

* In some types of eye pressure with vascularization

* In intraocular inflammations

* Anti VEGF injection can also be done in intraocular tumors

How are anti-VEGFs given into the eye? Are there any side effects?

Intraocular injections should be done in operating room conditions. After anesthesia is provided by dripping drops into the eye, the drug is injected into the eye from the white layer 3.5-4 mm behind the transparent layer called the cornea. Although it is intraocular, it is painless and very easy to apply.

As with every treatment method, some complications may occur, albeit rare, in intraocular injection treatment. The most important complication is endophthalmitis (intraocular microbial inflammation) and it has been observed in Table.1-1 in those who are given medication. Apart from this, very rarely cataract and retinal detachment and temporary intraocular pressure elevation can be seen.

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