30g vs 33g Needle for Intravitreal Injections

Intravitreal Injection Using 33-gauge Versus 30-gauge Needles: Comparison of Patients' Experience

We are comparing the patient experience between the standard 30 g needle to the smaller 33 g needle for intravitreal injections of ranabizumab or aflibercept for age related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema, or retina vein occlusions.

This is a prospective, randomized, interventional pilot study, which seeks to compare the patient experience using 30-gauge versus 33-gauge needle for bilateral same-day intravitreal injections of ranibizumab or aflibercept for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), or macular edema associated with retinal vein occlusion (RVO). The null hypothesis is that there is no difference in patient discomfort or pain with the 30-gauge needle compared to the 33-gauge needle.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients undergoing bilateral, same-day, intravitreal injections of either ranibizumab oraflibercept for the diagnosis of wet AMD, DME, or RVO-associated macular edema

Exclusion Criteria:

• 1) Patients who do not receive Betadine ophthalmic solution prior to intravitreal injection due to documented allergy 2) Patients who are receiving intravitreal bevacizumab (this medication iscompounded into pre-filled 1-mL tuberculin syringes).