After Your Injection

Most patients feel a little scratchy or irritated in the eye for a few hours after the injection. The feeling usually fades within 24 hours.

Your vision may be slightly blurry for a short time. You may also see a small floater or bubble in your vision for a day or two. This is the medication itself or a tiny air bubble, and it is harmless.

Most patients do not have significant pain after the injection. A scratchy or irritated feeling is common for several hours. If this is uncomfortable, over-the-counter artificial tears (such as Refresh, Systane, etc.) can help.

If you have severe or increasing pain that is not relieved by artificial tears, this is not normal — call us.

Yes. A small spot of redness on the white of the eye is a bruise where the needle entered. It is harmless and clears on its own in a few days to a week, like any bruise. Some patients have more redness than others.

Spreading or increasing redness with pain or vision changes is different — that's a reason to call.

Yes. There is no restriction on driving after an intravitreal injection. Your vision may be slightly blurry for a short time, so use your own judgment — if you do not feel comfortable driving, have someone drive you or wait until you feel ready.

You can return to work the same day. Most patients go back to their normal routine right after their appointment.

Yes. You can resume all normal activities the same day, including exercise, bending, and lifting. There is no restriction on physical activity after an intravitreal injection.

Flying is fine after an intravitreal injection. Cabin pressure changes do not affect the eye after an injection. This is different from after some retinal surgeries that use a gas bubble — your physician will give you separate instructions if that applies.

Yes — you can shower the same day. Just avoid getting water directly into the eye for the first 24 hours. Keep your eyes closed under the shower stream and avoid splashing water directly on your face.

No swimming, hot tubs, or saunas for two days after the injection. These can expose the eye to bacteria during the time when the injection site is still healing.

You can wash your face gently, avoiding direct water in the eye for 24 hours. Eye makeup (mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow) should be avoided for 24 hours after the injection. Face creams and other facial products are fine as long as they are not applied right at the eye.

Wait 24 hours before putting a contact lens back in the eye that was injected. The other eye can be worn as usual.

Yes — a small floater or bubble in the vision for a day or two is normal. What you are seeing is the medication itself (which the eye absorbs over time) or a tiny air bubble that came in with the injection. Both clear on their own.

A sudden burst of many new floaters, or floaters together with flashes of light, is different — see "When to call us" below.

Mild blurriness is common for a few hours after the injection, occasionally up to the rest of the day. By the next morning, vision should be back to your baseline.

If your vision is getting worse over the days following the injection — rather than better — call us.

We do not routinely prescribe any drops after an intravitreal injection. If the eye feels scratchy or irritated, over-the-counter sterile artificial tears (such as Refresh, Systane, etc.) can be used as often as you like for comfort.

Yes. Continue all of your usual medications, including blood thinners, on your normal schedule. Intravitreal injection does not require stopping any medications. There is no restriction on alcohol after the injection — the medication is given inside the eye and has very little exposure to the rest of the body.

Try to avoid rubbing the eye for the first 24 hours. The eye may feel scratchy as the numbing wears off, which makes some patients want to rub — artificial tears are a better choice. After 24 hours, rubbing your eye won't cause harm but it's also not necessary.