Self-designation of the treated eye before intravitreal injections: prevalence and predictors of incorrect calling.

PURPOSE To identify risk factors for incorrect self-identification of treatment eye prior to intravitreal injections. METHODS This prospective study included consecutive patients who were asked to designate the eye for which the intravitreal injection was intended, and were subsequently divided into two groups according to whether or not they identified the correct eye. RESULTS Overall, 349 eyes (n=349) were included and 8.6% (n=30) designated the incorrect eye or did not know which eye was intended for treatment. Incorrect designation was associated with diabetic macular edema (OR 0.33 [0.15-0.75]), first injection in the intended eye or ≥ 1-year since previous injection (OR 0.34 [0.14-0.87]), Arabic native tongue (OR 0.48 [0.22-1.01]), prior injection to the fellow eye (OR 0.26 [0.10-0.64]) and concurrent treatment of both eyes (OR 0.35 [0.16-0.74]). Multivariate analysis showed first injection or ≥ 1-year since last injection in treatment eye (R2=2.24%, p=0.004, OR=0.20 [0.07-0.57]) and prior injection in the fellow eye (R2=6.55%, p<0.001, OR=0.20 [0.07-0.52]) as significant independent predictors of incorrect identification. CONCLUSION Several factors associated with greater probability for incorrect patient's self-identification of eye laterality intended for intravitreal injections. These findings may help identify patients with a higher risk of such potential errors.