Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant
About Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant
Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant is a specialised eye implant used to treat swelling in the back of the eye, a condition known as macular oedema, which can happen after a blockage in the retinal veins or due to diabetes. It is also used to treat inflammation in the back of the eye called non-infectious uveitis. The primary purpose of this medicine is to target swelling and inflammation directly at the source, helping to protect your vision from long-term damage.
This treatment is not a daily medication. It is injected directly into the eye by an eye specialist as a single implant that slowly dissolves over several months, providing continuous therapy. Because it is given directly into the eye, you do not need to worry about taking it with or without food. Managing underlying conditions through healthy habits, such as keeping your blood sugar stable and reducing your salt intake, can greatly support the overall success of this treatment.
Common side effects of this implant include temporary increases in eye pressure, bleeding on the white part of the eye, and the development of cataracts after repeated use. If you experience severe eye pain, extreme sensitivity to light, or sudden vision changes, you must contact your doctor immediately. Your specialist will monitor your eye health closely after each procedure.
Before receiving this treatment, tell your eye doctor about all your medical conditions, especially if you have a history of glaucoma or eye pressure issues. Do not receive this if you have an active infection in or around your eye, or if you have advanced, uncontrolled glaucoma. It is also not suitable for individuals who have had certain types of eye surgery and have a torn capsule in the lens of the eye.
Tell your doctor about all other eye drops or medicines you are using, as well as any blood thinners, to help prevent complications during the injection process. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or are an older adult, talk to your doctor or pharmacist to discuss if this treatment is safe and appropriate for your specific situation.
Uses of Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant
Medicinal Benefits
This medication offers target-specific relief to improve your quality of life and protect your eyesight. The primary benefits include:
- Long-lasting swelling reduction: By releasing medication steadily over several months, it helps reduce swelling in the retina to stabilise or improve your sharpness of vision.
- Fewer treatment sessions: Because the implant slowly dissolves on its own, it eliminates the need for daily eye drops or monthly clinic injections, providing convenient, continuous care.
- Targeted anti-inflammatory action: It works directly inside the eye, delivering powerful relief where it is needed most while minimising the side effects that usually occur with oral steroid medications.
Directions for Use
- Follow your doctor's instructions on the dosage and timing of this medication to ensure safe and effective use.
- Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant will be administered by a healthcare professional.
- Do not self-administer.
Storage
Side Effects of Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant
Common Side Effects (Usually mild):
- Increased pressure inside the eye
- A small spot of bleeding on the white of the eye (conjunctival haemorrhage)
- Dry eye, mild irritation, or a feeling like something is in your eye
- Temporary blurry vision shortly after the injection
- Development of a cataract (clouding of the lens) over time with repeated treatments
Serious Side Effects (Consult a doctor right away):
- Severe, worsening eye pain or extreme redness
- Extreme sensitivity to light
- Sudden changes in vision, a sudden increase in floaters, or seeing a shadow over your field of vision
- Pus or discharge coming from the eye
- Signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, or difficulty breathing
Medicines Containing this Salt
View AllDrug Warnings
- Do not rub your eye under any circumstances after the injection to avoid injuring the eye or displacing the implant.
- Arrange for a family member or friend to drive you home from your clinic appointment, as your vision may be blurry and your eyes may be dilated.
- Always check that the outer sterile packaging is fully intact and sealed before your doctor prepares the injection.
- Tell your eye specialist immediately if you have ever had high eye pressure, glaucoma, or a herpes simplex infection of the eye.
- Monitor your treated eye daily for at least a week after the procedure, checking for signs like worsening redness, light sensitivity, or pain.
Drug Interactions
- Other corticosteroid medications: Using other steroid eye drops or taking systemic steroids can increase the risk of elevated eye pressure and cataracts.
- Blood thinners (anticoagulants): Medications that thin the blood may increase the risk of bleeding in the eye during or immediately after the injection procedure.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
consult your doctorIt is unknown whether alcohol interacts with Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant. Please consult your doctor.
Pregnancy
consult your doctorIf you are pregnant, inform your doctor. Your doctor will then decide if the Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant is suitable for you. Your doctor may prescribe this medicine only if the benefits outweigh the risks.
Breast Feeding
cautionInform your doctor if you are a nursing mother as Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant may pass into human milk and could suppress growth, interfere with endogenous corticosteroid production, or cause other unwanted side effects. Therefore, Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant is not recommended during breastfeeding unless prescribed by a doctor.
Driving
cautionDexamethasone Intravitreal Implant may cause a reduction in mental awareness; thus, avoid operating machinery or driving.
Liver
consult your doctorIf you have a history of or ongoing liver disease, inform your doctor before receiving the Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant. Your doctor will adjust the dose of this medicine if necessary based on your condition.
Kidney
consult your doctorInform your doctor before receiving the Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant if you have a history of or ongoing kidney disease. Your doctor may carry out extra checks while you are taking this medicine.
Children
cautionDexamethasone Intravitreal Implant is not recommended, until unless prescribed by a doctor.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Manage your blood sugar: If you have diabetes, keep your blood glucose levels strictly controlled, as high blood sugar directly damages retinal blood vessels and worsens macular oedema.
- Monitor your blood pressure: High blood pressure puts extra strain on the delicate vessels in your eyes. Work with your doctor to keep your numbers in a healthy range.
- Wear UV-blocking sunglasses: Protect your eyes from UV rays and bright sunlight, which can strain sensitive, healing eyes after an injection.
- Avoid smoking: Smoking damages blood vessels throughout the body, including those in the retina, and can worsen inflammatory eye conditions.
- Eat an eye-healthy diet: Incorporate foods rich in antioxidants, lutein, and omega-3 fatty acids, such as leafy greens and fish, to support overall retinal health.
Special Advise
- Several lab tests may be influenced by Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant. Therefore, if you are having any tests, let your doctor or lab technician know that you are receiving therapy with Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Macular edema: Swelling in a portion of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue layer at the rear of the eye, is known as macular edema. Primary symptoms are blurred vision and gradually worsening eyesight. Macular edema occurs when blood vessels leak into the macula, causing blurry vision. Commonly caused by diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema (DME) is a condition causing vision loss in diabetic patients.
Non-infectious uveitis: Iritis is another name for non-infectious uveitis. An eye injury or a condition elsewhere in your body may cause non-infectious uveitis, which manifests as swelling, discomfort, redness, heat, and inflammation in one or both of your eyes. Although it can be cured, it may result in vision loss. There are numerous blood vessels in the uvea, so if your immune system is fighting.
Diabetic macular edema (DME) is the accumulation of additional fluid in the extracellular space of the retina in the macular area. It can be caused by inflammation, retinal vein obstruction, surgery, and other factors. Although it can occasionally manifest asymptomatically, common symptoms include reduced visual acuity (VA), metamorphopsia, colour perception alterations, and reading difficulty.
FAQs
Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant is used in the treatment of macular edema (swelling of the macula or fluid accumulation) following branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) or central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), non-infectious uveitis (an inflammatory disease of the uvea) affecting the posterior segment of the eye and also used in the treatment of adult patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) who are pseudophakic.
Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant contains dexamethasone, a steroid with both anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant activity. Anti-inflammatory activity relieves the symptoms of inflammatory conditions, such as redness, swelling, and tenderness caused by various medical conditions, by slowly releasing the drug over time without requiring yearly injections. It'll dissolve naturally and need not be removed, inhibiting the product of certain chemical messengers in the body that cause inflammation. On the other side, immunosuppressant activity helps to calm your immune system. As a result, it can aid in autoimmune conditions similar to rheumatoid arthritis, in which your immune system erroneously destroys your tissues.
Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant may increase the risk of infections and infestations. Therefore, it is advised to avoid people with chickenpox (herpes simplex), shingles (herpes zoster) or measles.
Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant is contraindicated in patients with active or suspected ocular or periocular infections, including most viral diseases of the cornea and conjunctiva, including active epithelial herpes simplex keratitis (dendritic keratitis), vaccinia, varicella, mycobacterial infections, and fungal diseases. These patients have aphakic eyes with a rupture of the posterior lens capsule. Patients with ACIOL (Anterior Chamber Intraocular Lens) and posterior lens capsule rupture. Inform your doctor if you are pregnant/breastfeeding and about all the medications you are taking and pre-existing medical conditions before starting the Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant to avoid potential interactions.
Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant may cause side effects such as eye pain, itchiness of the eyelid, flashes of light, swelling on the surface of the eye, a feeling of looking through mist or fog, difficulties seeing clearly, and redness of the eye's white. If these side effects persist or worsen, please consult your doctor.
Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant may interact with other medicines, such as phenytoin (anticonvulsants), ketoconazole (Antifungal), rifampicin (Antitubercular), warfarin (anticoagulant), indinavir (antiretroviral drugs), and erythromycin (antibiotic). Therefore, consult your doctor before taking other medicines while on treatment with Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant.
Store Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant at room temperature. Protect from light. Keep it out of reach of children.
No, you should not drive immediately after the injection. Your pupils may be dilated and your vision can be temporarily blurry, making it unsafe to drive. Arrange for a ride home. Talk to your doctor to learn more.
Your eye specialist will use numbing drops or a local anaesthetic injection before the procedure to ensure you feel minimal discomfort. You may feel a slight pressure sensation during the injection, but it is generally not painful. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns.
Yes, steroid implants are known to increase the pressure inside the eye. Your doctor will monitor your eye pressure closely during follow-up visits and may prescribe pressure-lowering eye drops if needed. Talk to your doctor if you have a history of glaucoma.
The timing depends on how your eye responds to the treatment. The implant usually provides benefits for several months, and your eye doctor will decide if a repeat treatment is necessary based on regular eye examinations. Talk to your doctor for a personalised schedule.
Mild redness is normal, but severe pain, worsening redness, or sudden vision changes could indicate a serious infection or complication. Contact your eye specialist immediately or go to the nearest emergency room. Talk to your doctor if you suspect an emergency.
You should avoid wearing contact lenses in the treated eye immediately after the injection to prevent infection and allow the surface of the eye to heal. Your eye specialist will advise you when it is safe to wear them again. Talk to your doctor.
There is limited research on the safety of this eye implant during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Because it is applied locally, very little medicine enters the bloodstream, but you must talk to your doctor or pharmacist to evaluate the risks and benefits before starting treatment.
