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Diabetic Macular Edema
My retinopathy dr says I have fluid buildup in my left eye that requires injections. I'm very reluctant to have an injection into my eye. Apparently it takes 4+ a year and for life. I'm thinking of saying no. Anyone go through with it?
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dextolen, are you saying you have the wet macular degeneration. then it is known to have to get the eye injections. right now mine are dry except that i am noticing more tears coming out of my right eye just like a runny nose. be assured i understand as i just turned down radiation for my thryoid cancer. god bless
lilyann
dextolen, please think this through carefully. I was diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy and macular edema in 2012 and referred to a retina specialist. I went through pan- and focal laser until no more was possible. That's when I started the injections, first Lucentis and now Eyelea for the past 8 years. I get the shots every 9 weeks.
Once I get to the 8 1/2 week mark after the prior injection I'm using a magnifying glass to read some things on the computer screen. Not only do the injections reduce the swelling of the macula, they work against overgrowth of leaky blood vessels in the retina. I would be totally blind without my injections.
The shots themselves are not as bad as you think. If you want more details just let me know.
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1 Reaction@hishamganz welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Just a quick reminder, we members shouldn’t be trying to diagnose or prescribe. We mainly share our stories of what we’ve experienced in our health journies to provide hope and encouragement. Nobody is alone.
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1 ReactionYou are right! I am deeply sorry. Do you know how to remove my comment? Should i report it to the admin who can help remove it? I did report my comment, so the admin can delete it.
Please disregard my previous comment. My story is that I was diagnosed with PDR and ME in 2022. The retina specialist in Sweden performed two laser sessions on me. When I moved to the USA, the new retina specialist preferred injections whenever the hemorrhage occurred. The injections were successful. However, the hemorrhage happened again, so the retina specialist repeated the injection for the third time.
Now, my right eye has started developing unwanted vessels. The retina specialist has begun injecting the right eye again. He stated that once the right eye’s PDR is stable, he will perform some laser shots to maintain its stability and reduce the need for frequent injections. However, this approach may not be suitable for everyone. Without injections and laser treatment, my vision could have been significantly worse.
No, I appreciate hearing other people's experiences. I'm scared of eye injections.
First, I wish you all the best!
Second, I used to run medical diagnoses and proposed treatments by multiple specialists. I’ve been told that there are two schools of thought: one that advocates for injections all the time, while the other promotes laser therapy exclusively. My specialist recommended both options for me. However, it’s important to remember that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. I underwent two laser sessions in Sweden and multiple injections in the USA. It appears that there will be more laser sessions.However, I’m trying to maintain a positive outlook. I believe that now is an ideal time to cherish life, seize the opportunities presented by each moment, and spend quality time with loved ones.