Intravitreal injection therapy (IVT) is the most performed procedure in ophthalmology. This study was conducted to determine current trends in IVT delivery.
Methods:
An online, 31-question, multiple-choice survey was sent to 1677 retina specialists. The survey consisted of 3 sections: general questions, procedure technique, and postprocedure technique.
Results:
A total of 264 (16%) retina specialists completed the survey. The use of povidone-iodine (100%) and small-gauge needles (97%) was common, whereas ocular anesthesia was split among lidocaine gel (31%), lidocaine drops (25%), subconjunctival lidocaine (28%), and lidocaine-soaked pledgets (15%). More than 85% indicated povidone-iodine contributes to post-IVT corneal toxicity, and 12% reported that a needlestick injury to physician or staff occurred during IVT.
Conclusions:
Key areas for IVT improvement include optimized ocular anesthesia, development of a guarded needle for ocular drug delivery, and formulation of a less toxic ocular antiseptic.
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