Retina Treatments

An Overview: Retina Treatments

At a Glance:

• Minimally-invasive 
• A safe, viable alternative to surgery in most cases
• Outpatient procedure

Minimally-invasive retina treatments, such as injections and laser therapy, are suitable alternatives to full retinal surgery that can successfully treat certain retina conditions. Here at CODET, our doctors only recommend surgery as a last resort, meaning only if no other effective treatments are available to the patient.

Benefits and Highlights:

• Treats the disease, avoiding visual loss
• Reduces the likelihood of recurrence
• Minimizes the risk of disease complications
• Outpatient procedures are quick, painless, or at most mild, brief discomfort

Intravitreal Injections:

Intravitreal injections are a common procedure used to slow or prevent the progression of sight-threatening retinal conditions. It involves administering medication into the vitreous, the jelly-like structure that fills the middle of the eye. This allows the medication to be placed much closer to where the condition is occurring while decreasing the risk of side effects. Intravitreal injections are typically performed in your doctor’s office. 

Once the eyes are dilated and examined, the actual procedure takes very little time. You will lie face up in a comfortable position. Your eyes and eyelids will be sterilized and numbed with drops. Your doctor will then use a device called a speculum to separate your eyelids and keep your eyes open. During the injection, you may feel some slight pressure on the eye, but you should not experience any pain. 

After the procedure, the doctor will check the eye and may administer eye drops to help prevent dryness. Some patients may notice the appearance of floaters after the procedure, but these usually disappear after several days. Depending on your condition, injections may be administered as frequently as every month to attain the best results. Intravitreal injections help manage serious retinal conditions and provide the best outlook for your vision.

Laser Treatment:

Certain conditions such as wet AMD (Age-Related Macular Degeneration) may not be cured by laser treatment. However, modern advances in the wavelength of light used in subliminal or micropulse lasers, their ability to cycle at femtosecond speeds. Plus, the ability to focus precisely at a miniature scale means that modern ophthalmological technology can target abnormal blood vessels located underneath the retina while leaving normal, healthy vessels undamaged.

What to Expect: About the Treatments

Intravitreal injections are performed in the office, often with the patient reclined in a chair. First, the eye and eyelids are anesthetized using drops or gel, so the injection doesn’t hurt. Sometimes a small numbing injection may be given. After the injection, the speculum is removed, and the eye is cleaned. The entire process takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Here’s what you can expect from treatment at CODET Vision Institute:

• A retina exam that may include OCT (ocular coherence tomography), fluorescein angiography, retinal photography, and/or ultrasound
• A discussion of the risks and benefits with your doctor
• An internal medicine specialist will evaluate your general health and will advise if there are any considerations for the surgery
• Anticipate a post-op evaluation visit on the day after treatment

Why CODET for Retina Treatment?

CODET provides our experienced doctors with advanced, proven technology and the finest surgery rooms and equipment. They are a team of specialists who work and consult together with one goal: to provide the best care available anywhere in the world to our patients. Some of our Retina Technology includes:

• Spectralis
• EasyRet Laser
• IRIDEX Micropulse Laser

How Does it Work?

Learn how intravitreal injections helps delay or prevent the progression of sight-threatening retinal conditions.

View Video