What is it about?
The use of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) through intra-vitreal injections is common in treating medical conditions in the eye, such as age related macular degeration. It is not unheard of to have 10 or more injections every month. However, it stings a lot and may cause or aggravate dry eye, resulting in a detrimental fall in the quality of life for these patients. Importantly this is a problem completely induced by physicians. This paper examines the link between dry eye syndrome and repeated ocular anti-VEGF therapy, highlighting the main areas of concern while proposing ideas to address these issues.
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Why is it important?
Patients who undergo chronic ophthalmic treatments often experience issues such as dry eye syndrome, which compromises on their comfort and visual potential. Thus, it is important to address how intra-vitrael injections affect the health of the treated eye and the possible measures to combat this side-effect.
Perspectives
Treatment of ophthalmic diseases have side-effects which may ultimately undermine patient's eyesight and well-being. Since AMD is now the leading cause of blindness, and hospitals give thousands of injections per month, so it is timely to attend this issue.
Prof Louis Tong
National University of Singapore
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The effect of intravitreal injections on dry eye, and proposed management strategies, Clinical Ophthalmology, August 2017, Dove Medical Press,
DOI: 10.2147/opth.s136500.
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