“Although the prescription of anti-VEGF injections is increasing, there are still many patients who hesitate to undergo treatment.”

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections, commonly referred to as “eye injections,” are intraocular injections used to treat retinal blood vessels by inhibiting the formation of new blood vessels.

Eylea (aflibercept) is a representative anti-VEGF injection. As the prevalence of wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy continues to rise, an increasing number of younger patients are receiving anti-VEGF treatments.

However, there are still many patients who hesitate or discontinue treatment due to psychological aversion to the idea of receiving an injection in the eye.

“Eye injection therapy is a highly effective treatment for maintaining vision. However, the patient's anxiety and tension are greater barriers than the procedure itself,” said Dr. Lee Jae-hoon, an ophthalmologist and the director of St. Mary’s Bom Eye Center.

Diseases like macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy often go undetected in their early stages due to the absence of noticeable symptoms. By the time symptoms, including distorted vision or decreased central vision, appear, the disease is usually already at an advanced stage.

Since prompt treatment is crucial, alleviating anxiety about intraocular injections is also necessary to increase treatment acceptance. In particular, patients undergoing their first injection often react by being unable to open their eyes properly or twitching their eyelids severely, so it is also the responsibility of the medical staff to create a stable atmosphere during the procedure.

“Considering the patient’s psychological state is important for treatment continuity due to the nature of the treatment,” Dr. Lee said. “A treatment approach that lowers psychological barriers has a positive effect on long-term treatment compliance and prognosis.”

Dr. Lee is a retina and cataract specialist who completed his residency in ophthalmology at the Catholic University of Korea Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital and served as a retina fellow and clinical assistant professor at Uijeongbu St. Mary’s Hospital.