MACULAR EDEMA
Macular edema is the build-up of fluid in the macula, an area in the center of the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye and the macula is the part of the retina responsible for sharp, straight-ahead vision. Fluid buildup causes the macula to swell and thicken, which distorts vision.
Symptoms
Diabetic macular edema doesn’t always cause symptoms.
But you may:
- Have images directly in front of you appear blurry or wavy
- See colors that seem “washed out”
If this happens to you, see your doctor right away.
Treatment
To treat diabetic macular edema, doctors may use drugs that are injected into your eyes to help stop leaking, and to slow the growth of new blood vessels. These drugs include:
- Avastin (bevacizumab)
- Eylea (aflibercept)
- Iluvien (fluocinolone acetonide)
- Lucentis (ranibizumab)
- Macugen (pegaptanib)
In severe cases, you may also have laser photocoagulation. A doctor will use a tiny laser on your eye to seal leaking blood vessels. You may need more than one treatment to control the problem. It’s usually not painful, but you may have slight stinging feeling when the laser touches you.
Sometimes steroid injections may help.
Another treatment is a surgery called vitrectomy. This is usually done because of bleeding (not macular edema), and doctors take out the fluid that is clouding your vision and replace it with a clear solution.