Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 4, 2026
An Alternative and Validated Injection Method for Accessing the Subretinal Space via a Transcleral Posterior Approach
Published on: December 7, 2016
Comparison of pain during intravitreal dexamethasone, ranibizumab and aflibercept injection
Elif Ertan1, Rahmi Duman2, Reşat Duman3
1Department of Ophthalmology, Siirt Kurtalan State Hospital, Siirt, Turkey.
Background:
This study aimed to compare pain scores of patients during intravitreal aflibercept, ranibizumab or dexamethasone implant injection procedures.
Methods:
This study included 162 eyes of 162 patients, who received intravitreal ranibizumab, aflibercept or dexamethasone implant injections at our clinic. Following the injection, patients were asked to rate their pain from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain) using a visual analogue pain score survey (VAS). VAS was evaluated according to age, sex, indication for the injection, number of previous intravitreal injections, and lens status in the study eye.
Results:
The mean VAS in the ranibizumab, aflibercept or dexamethasone implant groups was 3.38 ± 2.31, 3.82 ± 2.46, and 3.61 ± 2.94, respectively. Female patients reported a higher average pain score than male patients (p = 0.02). Also, phakic patients reported a higher average pain score than pseudophakic patients (p = 0.01). Pain did not significantly correlate with indication for the injection, number of injections, and injection drugs (p > 0.05).
Conclusion:
Pain associated with intravitreal injection is generally mild and associated with sex, age, and lens status. There was no significant difference in pain between intravitreal injections of dexamethasone implant, ranibizumab or aflibercept.
