Macular Edema
Macular Edema is a nonspecific sign or consequence of various intraocular and systemic conditions, leading to significant visual impairment.
Macular edema is characterized by localized swelling in the macular area, resulting in increased central retinal thickness.
Symptoms
Central black spot
Bluring of vision
Metamorphopsia
Diagnosis
- Visual acuity test
- Dilated eye exam
- Optical coherence tomography (OCT)
- OCT-Angiography (OCT-A)
- Fundus Fluorescein Angiography (FFA)
Treatments For Macular Edema
Treatment for Macular Edema is multifaceted, involving systemic and ocular approaches:
Systemic Therapy: Manage underlying conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and dyslipidemia to reduce macular edema incidence. Intensive diabetes therapy and strict blood sugar and pressure control are beneficial.
Ocular Topical Medications: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAI) may offer relief, especially in cases with retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) involvement.
Ocular Laser Treatment: Different laser techniques, such as focal, grid, and modified ETDRS grid laser, are effective for various macular edema causes like diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, and others.
Intravitreal Anti-VEGF Injections: Faricimab, bevacizumab, ranibizumab, aflibercept, and brolicizumab are standard treatments, showing efficacy in diabetic macular edema and retinal vein occlusion.
Intravitreal Steroids: Drugs like fluocinolone acetate, triamcinolone acetonide, and dexamethasone can reduce macular edema but may cause cataracts or increased eye pressure.
Dr. Rohit Agrawal
MBBS, M.S (Gold medalist), FVRS
Vitreo-Retina, Uvea & ROP specialist