Summary

Introduction: Intravitreal injections (IVI) are minimally invasive procedures for administering drugs into the eye. They are an important therapeutic step for the control of many ophthalmological disorders, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), central retinal vein occlusion, and choroidal neovascularisation secondary to pathological or degenerative myopia.
Currently, the place where IVI are administered depends on the country in which they are performed, while in most European countries, IVI are performed in operating theatres used for minor ambulatory surgery, whereas in the United States or Canada they are performed in physicians consulting rooms or clean rooms. Although company core data sheets for drugs administered by intravitreal route, indexed in the European Medicines Agency, stress the need for this to be done under strict aseptic measures to prevent the risk of endophthalmitis, they do not specifically indicate the place of administration.

Objectives: To assess the safety and effectiveness of IVs, depending on the place of administration, operating theatre vs. consulting or clean room.

Methods: A systematic review of the literature no time limit was made of the medical literature until March 2014, contained both in leading computerised biomedical databases such as PubMed, Embase, ISI Web of Knowledge, Cochrane, etc., and in databases of ongoing studies. In addition, we conducted a general Internet search. The studies were selected by two independent assessors on the basis of a series of pre-established selection criteria. The data were then extracted using a purpose-designed form and summarised in evidence tables. Quality was assessed using different scales, depending on the nature of the study.

Result and conclusion: See pdf below.