Relationship between Pain and Injection Site during Intravitreal Injection

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Using a visual analogue scale, patients pain was compared according to injection site during intravitreal injection. METHODS: A prospective, clinical trial was conducted on 171 eyes of patients experiencing age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, or central serous chorioretinopathy. After determining the anatomic quadrant of the injection site, patients were randomized to receive intravitreal bevacizumab, aflibercept, ranibizumab, or dexamethasone injection. Fifteen minutes after the injection, patients completed a survey about pain using a visual analogue scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (unbearable pain). RESULTS: According to the visual analogue scale, pain score was 3.20 at the superotemporal site, 3.03 at the superonasal site, and 2.35 at the inferonasal site. Pain was lowest when injected in an inferotemporal site (p = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal injection at an inferotemporal site can help reduce patient pain.