How I Deal With My Wet Macular Degeneration Injection

By CommunityMember5ce4cd

1 min read

I have been identified in my 20s as having dry macular degeneration. In my 40s my left eye turned from dry to wet and I needed injections. I am fortunate in that my eye responds to the least expensive therapy of Avastin.

Changes in treatment and maintenance

However, as my doctor tried to lengthen the amount of time between injections, once my condition was "stabilized," it returned and I had to start all over again receiving frequent testing and injections.

After the past few years, my Retina Specialist and I discussed stopping the treatment again since I was "stabilized." However, we came to the understanding that it could reoccur and do more damage to my left eye. So, I am considered to be on maintenance therapy, receiving an Avastin eye injection every 3 months.

Tips for injections

One thing I found out is that as a patient know one knows your "pain" of getting an eye injection. I found out that I could ask for extra "numbing" of my eye so I didn't feel the pressure at the time of injection. Also, I always ask for an eye patch to be put over my eye because brightness and blurriness are problems after the injection. It comes off when I am home.

I hope that these 2 suggestions may help you or your loved one who has wet macular degeneration. Also, I hope that you have hope when you see how long I have dealt with this condition and has saved my eyesight.

Have you had a similar experience?

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Brown Eyed Girl Moderator
<inline-mention username="CommunityMember5ce4cd" user-id="3134356"/> Thank you so much for sharing how you've progressed through the years with dry amd and now the wet form and receiving injections. You certainly were diagnosed at an early age. We appreciate your tips about asking for extra numbing and also wearing an eye patch until you get home. Do you have numbing drops, or a numbing injection as well? Wendy, Patient Leader.
CommunityMember5ce4cd Member
Thank you! Yes, I receive numbing drops and a numbing "agent" that goes on the tip of a small stick that gets placed in my eye area and held in place when I close my eyes. I have received up to 3 doses of this numbing agent 3 separate times leading up to the eye injection. 
1. Brown Eyed Girl Moderator
 <inline-mention username="CommunityMember5ce4cd" user-id="3134356"/> thanks for explaining this numbing agent. I think I have heard of that on this site a couple of times. May I ask why they have done that up to three times? Is it because the doctor got help up and the agent started to wear off? Or is that just the usual practice? Wendy, Patient Leader.
CommunityMember5ce4cd Member
They have added the numbing solution up to 3 times because I don't "numb" well and it helped to numb the eye better pre-injection. I seem to feel the injection of the syringe to the eye less.
1. Brown Eyed Girl Moderator
 <inline-mention username="CommunityMember5ce4cd" user-id="3134356"/> thanks for elaborating. It seems they take great care to make sure you are well-numbed. It sounds as though you have a good doctor and technicians. Wendy, Patient Leader.
CommunityMember5ce4cd Member
They do, but every time you get a different "technician" who needs to be informed that this is the way to proceed with my eye. Sometimes you really need to speak up because they may "argue" saying that that is not how they do it here. I do have a wonderful, knowledgeable Retina Specialist.
1. Brown Eyed Girl Moderator
 <inline-mention username="CommunityMember5ce4cd" user-id="3134356"/> I did suspect that perhaps you had to speak up occasionally to get this result. Good for you! It would be great if they put these "special instructions" on people's charts to be referred to each time. Wendy, Patient Leader.
CommunityMember5ce4cd Member
Yes! I usually remind my Retina Specialist and he jots in down on my chart so I don't have difficulties with the technician who preps me. Then I just remind the technician. MUCH easier! 
1. Brown Eyed Girl Moderator
 <inline-mention username="CommunityMember5ce4cd" user-id="3134356"/> this is a great tip. It would be much easier to just remind the technician to look at the chart, than to have the conversation each time about what you need. Wendy, Patient Leader.