Day 1 After an Eye Injection: The Scratchy Day

Day 1 is the scratchy day. Once the numbing wears off, most of what you feel comes from the povidone-iodine antiseptic that was used to clean the eye, not from the medicine that was injected. The ASRS describes this as the feeling that something is in your eye, and names the povidone-iodine as the cause. It feels like sand, an eyelash or a contact lens folded under the lid. It is annoying rather than sharp, and it is usually worst the evening of the injection and the morning after.

Along with the grittiness you may have watering, a pink or bloodshot look, a dull ache around the eye, and a bright red patch on the white of the eye where the needle went in. Vision is often smeary for a few hours. You may see dark spots, specks or air bubbles drifting in your vision. The NEI lists both the irritation from the cleaning solution and floating air bubbles as short-term effects that usually settle within a day or two.

Comfort measures are simple. The ASRS says artificial tears, preferably sterile single use droppers, can be used to help ease dryness and surface irritation. Do not rub the eye. Do not put anything in the eye that your retina specialist did not approve. If you were given antibiotic or other drops, use them the way you were told.

The important thing on day 1 is direction of travel. Discomfort on day 1 that is steadily improving is the normal pattern. Pain that is getting worse, vision that is getting worse, or new light sensitivity is the pattern that needs a phone call to the retina office, because the AAO tells ophthalmologists to instruct patients to promptly report exactly those symptoms.