What are the symptoms of Macular Edema?

Symptoms of Macular Edema are: (1) Things appear darker or dimmer than before. (2) Poor vision. (3) Blind spots or blind areas in vision. (4) Things seem to be warped or distorted. (5) History of diabetes or pre-diabetes. (6) Blurred vision. (7) Seeing spots of light that expand for 15-30 minutes before disappearing. (8) History of high cholesterol diagnosis. (9) Seeing flashes of light. (10) Seeing jagged spots of light, like the teeth of a saw

Macular Edema Quiz

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Reviewed By:

Ami Shah Vira, MD (Ophthalmology)

Dr. Shah Vira grew up in Arizona. She moved to Chicago to complete a combined engineering and medical program at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) and Chicago Medical School. She completed a highly competitive two year dual fellowship in Neuro-ophthalmology and Oculoplastic at the highly regarded Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Shah Vira specializes in surgical correction of the eyelids and eyebrows, eyelid malposition and tumors, excessive tearing, and conditions involving the orbit.

Masashi Mimura, MD (Ophthalmology)

Dr. Mimura Graduated from the Osaka Medical College and obtained his ophthalmologist certification in 2007. He opened an outpatient clinic for oculoplastic and reconstructive surgery at Osaka Kaijo Hospital. Subsequently, he was appointed as the assistant professor at the Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka Medical College, in 2014. He then served an international fellowship at the Department of Ophthalmology/Oculoplastic and Reconstructive Surgery, California State University, San Diego. Since then, he has been appointed as Lecturer in the Departments of Ophthalmology at Osaka Medical College and Toho University Medical Center Sakura Hospital. Dr. Mimura is currently the Director of Oculofacial Clinic Osaka, where he specializes in Oculofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

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Content updated on Mar 31, 2024

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With an easy 3-min questionnaire , Ubie's AI-powered system will generate a free report on possible causes.

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History - considers past illnesses, surgeries, family history, and lifestyle choices.

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A partial loss of vision
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I can't see from my right eye
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What is Macular Edema?

Macular edema is the accumulation of fluid in the macula, the part of your retina responsible for central vision. It occurs when fluid leads to swelling in the macula, causing blurred vision and vision loss in severe cases. Common causes of macular edema include blockages in retinal arteries or veins and diabetes.

Typical Symptoms of Macular Edema

Things appear darker or dimmer than before
Poor vision
Blind spots or blind areas in vision
Things seem to be warped or distorted
History of diabetes or pre-diabetes
Blurred vision
Seeing spots of light that expand for 15-30 minutes before disappearing
History of high cholesterol diagnosis

Doctor's Diagnostic Questionson Macular Edema

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:

Do things appear darker or dimmer to you than before?
Is your eyesight getting worse lately?
Are you experiencing any blind spots in your vision?
Are things in your vision distorted?
Have you ever been diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes?

Treatmentof Macular Edema

The primary treatment for macular edema involves steroids and anti-inflammatory medications to reduce swelling. These medications are typically administered through eye drops or injections into the eye. Depending on the cause of your macular edema, your doctor may recommend additional procedures, such as laser therapy.

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Macular Edema

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Diseases related to Macular Edema

References

Wilkinson CP, Ferris FL 3rd, Klein RE, Lee PP, Agardh CD, Davis M, Dills D, Kampik A, Pararajasegaram R, Verdaguer JT; Global Diabetic Retinopathy Project Group. Proposed international clinical diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema disease severity scales. Ophthalmology. 2003 Sep;110(9):1677-82. doi: 10.1016/S0161-6420(03)00475-5. PMID: 13129861.
https://www.aaojournal.org/article/S0161-6420(03)00475-5/fulltext
Zur D, Loewenstein A. Postsurgical Cystoid Macular Edema. Dev Ophthalmol. 2017;58:178-190. doi: 10.1159/000455280. Epub 2017 Mar 28. PMID: 28351047.
https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/455280
Holló G, Aung T, Cantor LB, Aihara M. Cystoid macular edema related to cataract surgery and topical prostaglandin analogs: Mechanism, diagnosis, and management. Surv Ophthalmol. 2020 Sep-Oct;65(5):496-512. doi: 10.1016/j.survophthal.2020.02.004. Epub 2020 Feb 22. PMID: 32092363.
https://www.surveyophthalmol.com/article/S0039-6257(20)30028-X/fulltext
Jonas JB. Diabetic Macular Edema. Asia Pac J Ophthalmol (Phila). 2020 Sep-Oct;9(5):377-378. doi: 10.1097/APO.0000000000000324. PMID: 32932292.
https://journals.lww.com/apjoo/Fulltext/2020/10000/Diabetic_Macular_Edema.1.aspx