Injection Procedures Encountered In Optometry.

At present, twenty-three states permit doctors of optometry to perform epinephrine injections for
anaphylaxis, and only eight states permit the use of injections for management of conditions
other than anaphylaxis. The National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) now requires
that all students applying for a doctor of optometry license be competent in and capable of
performing basic injection procedures, including preparation of medications, intravenous
fluorescein angiography injections, and intramuscular epinephrine injections. The purpose of this
guide is to provide a practical step-by-step outline of common injection procedures to optometry
students preparing for the injections skill portion of the NBEO Clinical Skills Examination (Part
III), as well as to review common clinical conditions requiring the use of injections for either
treatment or diagnostic purposes. This guide reviews the proper techniques required to perform
subcutaneous, intradermal, intramuscular, and intravenous injections, as well as aseptic
techniques to prepare for an injection procedure. The guide will be supplemented by an
injections video, which was recorded in the fall of 2010. Like any other procedure utilized in the
practice of optometry, these injection techniques require practice and repetition to become
proficient.