Hello. This is Goyang Shinsegae Eye Clinic, serving the Ilsan area.
When patients first hear about injection treatment for macular degeneration, the idea of having medication injected directly into the eye can understandably feel intimidating.
Hearing that repeated injections may be necessary can also raise concerns about the cost of treatment.
Wet age-related macular degeneration is a condition that requires active management.
This is because abnormal new blood vessels can develop beneath or within the retina, and bleeding or fluid leakage from these vessels may directly affect central vision.
One of the main treatments used to suppress the activity of these abnormal blood vessels is the injection of medication into the eye.
In recent years, a wider range of medications has become available, which has also led to changes in the financial burden associated with treatment.
If you are looking for an eye clinic near Jichuk Station, it is important to understand why these injections are needed and how the appropriate medication is selected, rather than comparing cost alone.
📌 Contents
- Why are injections necessary for wet macular degeneration?
- Concerned about injections into the eye? What does the procedure actually involve?
- Why are different medications used?
- Treatment costs have also changed in recent years
- Q&A about injection treatment for macular degeneration
- What should be considered before cost?
✅️ 1. Why Are Injections Necessary for Wet Macular Degeneration?
The macula is located at the center of the retina and plays a critical role in clear, detailed vision.
Macular degeneration is generally classified into two types: dry and wet.
In wet macular degeneration, abnormal new blood vessels develop, and blood or fluid may leak from these vessels, potentially damaging retinal tissue.
Injection treatment for macular degeneration commonly uses medications that inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor, or VEGF, which plays an important role in the formation of abnormal blood vessels.
To put it simply:
◼ Abnormal new blood vessels develop.
◼ Blood or fluid may leak from these vessels.
◼ Bleeding or swelling may occur in the central retina.
◼ Depending on the examination results, medication may be injected into the eye.
Therefore, when undergoing an examination at an eye clinic near Jichuk Station, one of the first things to assess is whether abnormal blood vessels, bleeding, or retinal swelling are present.
The key issue is not simply the fact that medication is injected into the eye.
What matters most is accurately determining how active the abnormal blood vessels are and what changes have occurred in the retina.
✅️ 2. Concerned About an Injection Into the Eye? What Does the Procedure Actually Involve?
Even after understanding why treatment may be necessary, many patients are understandably concerned about having medication injected directly into the eye.
An intravitreal injection is performed after appropriate anesthesia and disinfection of the eye.
The actual injection itself usually takes only a short amount of time.
It is important not to delay necessary treatment solely because of fear of the procedure.
Whether injection treatment for macular degeneration is needed is determined not simply by symptoms, but by objective examination findings such as fundus examination and optical coherence tomography, or OCT.
Therefore, when looking for an eye clinic near Jichuk Station, it is better to first determine the current condition of the retina rather than worrying immediately about whether an eye injection will be necessary.
✅️ 3. Why Are Different Medications Used?
There is more than one medication that can be used for injections into the eye.
Common examples include Avastin (bevacizumab), Lucentis (ranibizumab), and Eylea (aflibercept).
| Category | What to Consider |
| Type | Active ingredient and characteristics of the medication |
| Insurance | Eligibility criteria for National Health Insurance coverage |
| Retinal condition | Presence of abnormal blood vessels, bleeding, or swelling |
| Response | How the eye responded to previous injections |
| Treatment plan | Whether additional injections are needed and the interval between treatments |
Each medication has different characteristics, approved indications, and insurance coverage criteria.
The condition of the retinal lesion and the patient's response to previous injections are also considered when selecting the medication.
For this reason, a more expensive medication should not automatically be considered the better option.
The severity of the condition, previous treatment response, required injection interval, and insurance coverage should all be considered together.
When receiving care at an eye clinic near Jichuk Station, the most important factor is finding an option that is appropriate for the current condition of the eye rather than focusing only on price or brand recognition.
✅️ 4. Treatment Costs Have Also Changed in Recent Years
For patients who require repeated treatment, cost is understandably an important practical concern.
In the past, when certain injectable medications did not meet the criteria for National Health Insurance coverage, out-of-pocket costs could reach the KRW 700,000 range.
More recently, the introduction of biosimilars has expanded the available options, and depending on the circumstances, treatment may be available in the KRW 100,000 range.
A biosimilar is a biological medication that has been shown to be highly similar to an already approved reference biologic in terms of quality, efficacy, and safety.
✅️ 5. Q&A About Injection Treatment for Macular Degeneration
Q. Is a more expensive medication necessarily better?
A. No. Price alone cannot determine which medication is most appropriate.
Each medication has different characteristics and insurance coverage criteria, and each patient's retinal condition and response to previous treatment may also differ.
The important point is to select a medication that is appropriate for the current condition of the eye.
✅️ 6. What Should Be Considered Before Cost?
Wet macular degeneration should not be viewed as a condition that is completely treated after a single procedure.
The condition of the retina and the activity of the disease need to be monitored over time, and the need for additional treatment and the appropriate interval between injections must be determined accordingly.
For this reason, the first question to ask about injection treatment for macular degeneration should not be, “How much does the medication cost?”
It is more important to determine whether abnormal new blood vessels are present, whether bleeding or swelling has occurred, how far the condition has progressed, and which treatment approach is appropriate.
If you are looking for retinal care at an eye clinic near Jichuk Station, it is important not to miss an appropriate treatment window because of fear of eye injections or concerns about cost.
Compared with the past, treatment options have expanded, including the availability of biosimilars.
Because there may now be options that can reduce the financial burden in certain cases, treatment decisions should be based on examination findings, the current condition of the eye, insurance eligibility, and the planned course of follow-up care.
Thank you.
