Macular Edema
| Macular edema is the swelling or collection of fluid underneath the center of the retina. |
This tiny portion of the retina is responsible for our central, straight ahead and detailed vision. The fluid comes from leaking retinal blood vessels.
When the swelling is a result of multiple cyst-like spaces forming within the macula it is called cystoid macular edema (CME).
Causes of CME
Some of the causes are:
1) Diabetes
2) Uveitis
3) Blockage in the small retinal veins or arteries
4) Wet AMD - Choroidal Neovascularization
5) Cataract Surgery
6) Repair of a detached retina
7) Eye Injury
8) Side effect of medication
Symptoms of CME
Symptoms are:1) Straight lines appear wavy 2) Blurred central vision 3) Sensitivity to light 4) Pink tint to one's vision Peripheral vision is not usually affected.
Making a Diagnosis
A diagnosis is made based on a person's symptoms and often a dye test called a
fluorescein angiogram
is needed to view the macula.
Macula Edema Treatment
Macular edema treatment depends on what is causing the fluid to build up. If it is caused by:1) Diabetes - then the diabetes needs to be treated 2) Eye Surgery - anti-inflammatory eye drops or pills 3) Eye injury - anti-inflammatory eye drops or pills 4) Wet Macular Degeneration or Choroidal Neovascularization - click here to read more:
wet macular degeneration treatment
It normally can take several months for the swelling to go down and for vision to return
Macular Degeneration
According to the Archives of Ophthalmology (ISSN 0003-9950 Source / Source 2002, vol. 120, no6, pp. 731-737) √ CME is a common finding in patients with
choroidal neovascularization
√ The presence of CME and foveal thickening is associated with worse visual acuity in these patients √ More common with choroidal neovascularization containing
classic component.
√ The optical coherence tomography is a useful test to detect the presence of CME in these patients since CME may be difficult to identify on fluorescein angiogram.
Go from Macular Edema to Macular Disease
Go from Macula Edema to Macular Degeneration

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