Study to find the indications and adverse reactions in patients receiving intravitreal injections at ophthalmology unit, RVM hospital, Telangana state, India

Abstract

Introduction: Intravitreal injection of air was first used by Ohm in 1911 for repairing retinal detachments. Intravitreal pharmacotherapy is likely to increase as more and more agents are being developed and tested for a variety of retinal diseases. Methodology: A hospital based prospective randomised interventional study conducted on patients attending ophthalmology department of RVM Hospital from May 2019 to March 2020, where intravitreal injections of Triamcinolone acetonide (4mg/0.1 ml), Bevacizumab (1.25mg/0.05ml), Ranibizumab (0.5mg/0.05ml), Ganciclovir (2mg/0.1ml) were injected for various vitreoretinal diseases. Results: The common age group was 46-60 years in this study and the age group of 16-30 were limited in this study. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) was 148, retinal vein occlusion (RVO) 169, Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR) 114 were main indications for intravitreal injection therapy and the least being Coats disease 3, and idiopathic polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (IPCV) 3. Bevacizumab is the drug which was used excessively in this study as intravitreal injection (57.45%) followed by Ranibizumab (19.66%) and the least being Ganciclovir (10.33%). Conclusion: Intravitreal injection is a safe and efficient technique. The risk of serious vision threatening complications is very low.