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Swelling, Discoloration Of Macula In Eyes, Causes, Prognosis. Treatment ?

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Posted on Mon, 28 May 2012
Question: My son has been told he has swelling and discoloration of the Macula in both eyes. What are the causes and prognosis for this, and what treatments can be given?
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Follow up: Dr. Deepak Anvekar (7 minutes later)
What are the likely outcomes of the various treatment regimes?
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Answered by Dr. Deepak Anvekar (1 hour later)
Hello and thanks for your query,

The query does not provide proper details of the signs and symptoms of the patient. The information provided below is based on the limited description provided here.

The macula is an oval-shaped spot (5mm diameter) near the center of the retina of the human eye and is responsible for central, high resolution vision. Any disease or lesions affecting the macula will result in loss of central vision, which is usually immediately obvious.

Conditions that can affect the macula of the eye in a middle aged male (36 years) might include:

1. Macular edema

2. Macular degeneration:- This condition is Age-related and usually affects older adults (> 50 years) and results in a loss of central vision.

Based on the age of your son and the description provided, the most probable cause could be macular edema. Hence I shall provide information related to this specific condition.

MACULAR EDEMA which occurs when fluid and protein deposits leak from blood vessels and collect on or under the macula and causes it to thicken and swell.

Causes of macular edema include a broad spectrum of medical conditions. Some of them are listed below :-

1. Vascular causes :- retinal vein occlusion, idiopathic juxtafoveal retinal telangiectasia

2. Degenerative conditions:- macular degeneration, posterior vitreous detachment, epiretinal membrane formation

3. diabetic macular leakage ( associated with Diabetic Retinopathy)

4. Idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy,

5. Inflammatory conditions : anterior or posterior uveitis, pars planitis,

6. Tumors :- retinitis pigmentosa,

7. Others : -radiation, treatments for glaucoma ; Eye surgery ; Eye Injury

ME (Macular Edema) presents with blurred central vision, visual distortion and photophobia. Permanent loss of vision is rare. The recovery is often a slow, gradual process and majority of patients recover in 2 to 15 months.

Treatment of macular edema - depends on the treatment of the underlying causes described above.

The first line of treatment to improve vision is usually anti-inflammatory medications (Steroids) in the form of drops.

In certain cases, anti inflammatory medication is injected near the back of the eye for a more concentrated effect. Oral medications are sometimes prescribed to reduce the swelling.

In addition certain nutrients such as Serraflazyme, Fish Oil, and MSM, and other vitamins and nutrients may help recovery from Macular Edema and preserve vision.

Your son might consult his doctor for additional information about his underlying diagnosis and decide on further course of action. He might also get evaluated for medical conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc to diagnose the exact cause of his eye symptoms.

I hope this helps to answer your question.

You might consult me further if you have any further doubts.

Regards.

Dr Anvekar.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
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Answered by
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Dr. Deepak Anvekar

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2003

Answered : 336 Questions

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Swelling, Discoloration Of Macula In Eyes, Causes, Prognosis. Treatment ?

What are the likely outcomes of the various treatment regimes?