Steroids are used in a variety of ocular conditions that involve inflammation and leakage of blood vessels. The most commonly used forms are topical eye drops and systemic (oral or intravenous).
Some conditions in the deeper portions of the eye where the retina resides require a local injection to better treat them. This can be an injection in the eye, in the vitreous cavity (intravitreal injection). Alternatively, this can be an injection around the eye in a superficial (subconjunctival) or deeper (posterior subTenons) fashion.
Steroids are especially useful for conditions known as uveitis, and they are being studied for use in other retinal diseases as well.