J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2016 Jun;57(6):930-934. 10.3341/jkos.2016.57.6.930.

Relationship between Pain and Injection Site during Intravitreal Injection

• Jeong KD
• Kim JH
• Kim JS
• Hwang JH

• KMID: 2290495
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2016.57.6.930

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.

Keyword

Intravitreal injection; Pain measurement; Visual analogue scale

MeSH Terms

Bevacizumab
Central Serous Chorioretinopathy
Dexamethasone
Diabetic Retinopathy
Humans
Intravitreal Injections*
Macular Degeneration
Pain Measurement
Prospective Studies
Ranibizumab
Retinal Vein Occlusion
Bevacizumab
Dexamethasone
Ranibizumab

Figure

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  Figure 1. Injection site description. ST = superotemporal; SN = superonasal; IT = inferotemporal.

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  Appendix 1. Questionnaire about pain occurred after intravitreal injection. ST = superotemporal; IT = inferotemporal; SN = superonasal.

Reference

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