How is macular edema treated

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Figure 2. Note the even layers and gently sloping dip of the macula called the fovea. This eye has excellent vision. This eye also has good vision. Because ME involves the macular center the fovea , vision is poor large red arrow. The most effective treatment strategies for macular edema address the underlying cause diabetes, blood vessel occlusion, neovascularization, inflammation, etc , as well as an excess of fluid leaking from abnormal blood vessels in and around the macula.

Eye drops, laser, and surgery can be effective in many diseases, but the mainstay of treatment is intravitreal injections IVI. The IVI is an office procedure performed under topical anesthesia in which medication is placed inside the eye by a very small needle.

The injection genrally causes little to no pain. IVI should be performed by a trained retina specialist with meticulous monitoring of treatment efficacy and detection of rare but potentially serious complications. IVI is now considered one of the most commonly performed medical procedures. Each treatment option has a considerable track record of success and works by decreasing the amount of fluid leaking from abnormal blood vessels.

There are differences between each of these drugs. Ganiban and Vaishnav apply many tiny laser pulses to areas of fluid leakage around the macula. The main goal of treatment is to stabilize vision by sealing off leaking blood vessels that interfere with the proper function of the macula. In some cases, vision loss may be improved with laser treatment. A patient may need focal laser surgery more than once to control the leaking fluid. If you have macular edema in both eyes and require laser surgery, generally only one eye will be treated at a time, usually several weeks apart.

Intravitreal injection therapy is also being used to treat macular edema. Two drugs —steroids and anti-VEGF agents — have shown promise in reducing diabetic macular edema. Anti-VEGF drugs target a specific chemical in your eye called vascular endothelial growth factor — or VEGF — that is critical in causing abnormal blood vessels to grow under the retina. Several drugs have been developed that can block the trouble-causing VEGF.

An anti-VEGF drug can help treat macular edema by reducing the growth of abnormal blood vessels and slowing their leakage, which helps to slow vision loss.

For people with diabetes, controlling blood sugar and blood pressure is another method of macular edema treatment. Retina, Vitreous, Macula. Macular thickening and visual acuity.

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