Eyelea injections

[Whitegoose]

I have the usual injection to my eye, and even having extra strong anaesthetic drops, the injection is still painful, in fact even when the clamp is used it causes me pain, is this normal. My eye really seems very sensitive to any touching. I normally have a high pain threshold. I’m really dreading when these injections are due. I have had a bilateral full knee replacement with epidural injections, and coped very well. So it seems that my eye is extra sensitive. What can I do.

[Rosalyn-helpline Partner]

Dear Whitegoose,

I am sorry to read of your painful injections.

Have you fed this back to the eye clinic?

I am attaching our information on eye pain linked to injections, which could be used as a discussion point with your ophthalmologist. You could contact them via their secretary:

macularsociety.org/sites/de...

Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of any further help.

The Macular Society helpline is open 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday on 0300 3030 111.

Alternately, you can contact us via:

[e-mail]

Kind regards,

[Whitegoose]

Thank you Rosalyn, I will relate the info to the clinic, the trouble is I see different people most times. I had a nurse give me the injection one time, and that was the worse one I’ve ever had. I have another one coming up if 6 weeks time and I’m really dreading it. I will try and see if I can talk to the original consultant. Thank you for your help & concern.

[Bobbie915 in reply to Whitegoose]

Hello Whitegoose,

From my own experience of having these injections, I can fully sympathise. When I first started, like you, I had a different doctor nearly every time. The experience was definitely not good.

The routine has changed, for about a year now, and what a difference it has made. They have decided that continuity and skill are important! I nearly always get the same nurse who is very good at giving injections. On one occasion I had the doctor who trained her - not quite as good as her pupil, and once I had a doctor who was trained by the nurse - also excellent. Passing on the technique has been a great success.

Other than a reminder to go easy on the iodine, I no longer dread the injections. I really do believe that it is all down to the skill of the injector.

In the early days, I asked a doctor during a monthly review, if it made a difference who was doing the injection. Puzzled look - no they all do the same!!!!

Sincerely hope things get better for you. Good luck if you can get to see the consultant.

[Whitegoose in reply to Bobbie915]

Thank you Bobbie, I saw a news item on TV, an elderly man was saying his injections were completely painless, he was having his injections at Moorfield hospital, which I believe is one of the best eye hospitals in the world. If only I could change and go there. Miles away from where I live, but I would still go if I had the chance. Anyway take care and here’s to pain free injections one day.

[Hidden]

Hi. I sympathize. After a traumatic first inj I discussed with my consultant at the review. He said some eyes are super sensitive. Also the clamp hurts if they press too hard plus they can scratch the eye.

It sounds like it's the inj itself not the aftermath that gives you pain which suggests anaesthetic not working ( are they waiting long enough?) And/ or poor technique.

He put in my notes about the extra anaesthetic but you get that already so make a point of telling the nurses how worried you are etc. I did and they were lovely - they told the injector before I went in and again when I lay down and I explained too then a new Dr came in to monitor and hold my hand. Lo and behold no pain!

I do think some injectors get blase because they've been trained that it doesn't hurt.

Your clinic will have different injectors - see if you can try different ones? Tell them how awful it is to think of the next inj and worry.

Also, it is possible to have an anaesthetic inj with the drops too. I've read here others have it . They do this before my implants and it works but I don't know if the injector makes it ok too?!

I'm sorry you have to go through this worry and I hope it gets better for you but if not try and put it in perspective - a couple of days of worry and pain for four weeks of sight. I chose sight and luckily for me the inj got better. even had a few painless ones! Good luck going forward x

[Whitegoose in reply to Hidden]

Hello eyes right, thank you for your help, yes I agree, when you spell it out, sight is more precious, but talking about it helps. Yes I will put it in perspective, I think I’m just feeling sorry for myself, at least I have some good sight.

[Getwell89 in reply to Whitegoose]

Hello Whitegoose!

I had much the same trouble in the beginning. I have been getting injections for over two years now. But I was lucky enough to have a nurse one time who was excellent in getting me ready for the injection. She empathized with me, said I should ask for her each time I come in, and I do.

I also get an injection for pain before the actual injection, and that helps.

I worry each time I go in, and am so happy to leave. But the gift of sight keeps me going. You must take heart and know we are all in the same boat!!!! We support you!!!

[Whitegoose in reply to Getwell89]

Thank you Getwell89, yes sight is precious. Looking forward to when stem cells are available. Just finished trialling at Moorfields Hospital. Apparently will not be available for a few years yet. They are advancing all the time.

[Hidden]

The only other option I can think of, it is one suggested by an American patient who had the same problems as you, is to ask if they will inject in a different quadrant of the eye.she had her eye ‘mapped’ to find the best spot. Docs have their own preferred spot which they get used to also, over time one spot can develop scar tissue which some find uncomfortable. I am v fortunate after 80 shots and 1 implant I have no discomfort.

An afterthought - are you near st Paul’s Eye Research Unit at the Royal Liverpool Hospital? They are extremely good and inject well over 100 per clinic session with minimal discomfort.

[Whitegoose]

I have had injections in several different parts of the eye, I very rarely see the same person. Each one preferring a diff end spot. I seem to have very sensitive eyes. During a cataract operation, I felt everything, the consultant became aware that I could feel the pain. I was needing a second cataract op for the other eye, this time they gave me an eye block. No pain, but immediately after this op, my dry macular turned into wet. They said it was not the cataract op that caused it, but the removal of the cataract, apparently it can show up eye defects that were not visable before. I do have dry macular in the other eye, but my sight in that eye is good.

I’m dreading any change in that eye. Thank you for your help. I actually live in Lincolnshire.