75
EW RETINA
July 2016
keep the eye still. Although some
surgeons ask their patients to look
all the way left or right, the eye
muscles may get tired and move,
so it's better for the patient to look
at a fixed target, preferably straight
ahead, he said.
Finally, never use topical anti-
biotics after the injection; patients
require multiple injections, and over
time, they will develop resistance to
the topical antibiotic, he said. EW
Editors' note: Drs. Boyer, Brown, and
Charles have no financial interests
related to their comments.
Contact information
Boyer: vitdoc@aol.com
Brown: dmbmd@houstonretina.com
Charles: scharles@att.net
Although some patients think they
are allergic to iodine because of al-
lergies to seafood or contrast agents,
these are unrelated. No one is actual-
ly allergic to iodine, he continued,
because it is essential to the function
of a healthy thyroid.
"No one has ever had anaphy-
lactic shock from the povidone com-
ponent of Betadine and not clearly
from iodine," he said.
Use a sterile bladed speculum on
all patients to hold back the lids and
lashes, Dr. Charles said, and wear
sterile gloves. Sterile gloves ensure
the speculum can be positioned to
allow injection with the eye in the
primary position, while keeping
the lids and lashes away from the
needle. When you're ready to inject,
Dr. Charles recommends having the
patient pick a spot to look at and
"
About 70% of patients need shots
forever; the question is finding that
interval where they stay dry.
"
–David Brown, MD
Intravitreal injection
Source: Karl Brasse, MD, Eyeland Design
