Eye edema

Introduction

Edema in the retina of the eye is a dangerous condition that causes impaired vision and may even worsen to blindness. Eye edema usually affects an area called the macula in the retina of the eye, and is therefore called macular edema. The macula is responsible for visual acuity and plays an important role in central vision. Accordingly, an accumulation of fluid around it will cause blurred vision that will progressively worsen. Early diagnosis of eye edema is essential, because appropriate and timely treatment may stop the visual deterioration and improve it.

Causes of eye edema

In most cases, eye edema is a secondary phenomenon of a central disease such as diabetic retinopathy, retinal degeneration or a blockage of blood vessels in the eyes. However, eye edema can also occur after medical treatment or exposure of the eyes to various factors:

When it comes to eye edema in diabetic patients, the source of the problem is damage to or blockage of blood vessels in the eye. As a result of this damage, there is leakage of blood and fluids out of the damaged blood vessel. This fluid accumulates in the macula area and disrupts normal vision. About a quarter of diabetic retinopathy patients will suffer from eye edema or macular edema. It should be noted that in most cases retinal damage as a result of edema will occur only after 10-15 years of diabetes, meaning that the vision damage can be prevented.

In addition to diabetic patients who can develop eye edema, it is also common among adults over the age of 60. At this age it is usually edema on the background of age-related macular degeneration (AMD disease). Due to degeneration of the cells in the retina and lack of proper nourishment, they die and diminish. In late stages of the disease, there is also an accumulation of fluid in the eye cavity, mainly in the macula area.

Likewise, eye edema can be caused by damage to or blockage of the retinal vein or one of its various branches. Such damage leads to an increase in blood pressure in the vein and thus to an increased chance that it will rupture and lead to bleeding. Bleeding by this mechanism will cause the body to produce new blood vessels as a compensatory response. However, these blood vessels are not normal and have an increased tendency to rupture and, accordingly, to additional bleeding. Due to these injuries, macular edema may form. The range of signs of such damage is wide and can range from spots in the field of vision to complete loss of vision.

Furthermore, eye edema may appear after surgery or a surgical procedure in the eye, such as cataract surgery, retinal detachment repair surgery and more.

Less common conditions that can cause eye edema are congenital dystrophic diseases of the cornea, intraocular inflammation and damage to the corneal epithelium such as exposure to chemicals, medications, pollutants or from prolonged use of contact lenses.

Symptoms of eye edema

Most of those suffering from eye edema describe that they are looking through a strange filter or through a piece of cloudy glass. Additional signs of eye edema are blurred vision, impaired visual acuity, difficulty identifying items and even blindness.

Diagnosis of eye edema

Diagnosis of eye edema is performed by a specialist ophthalmologist. Usually, the diagnosis is based on an OCT scan, which is a non-invasive imaging tool that provides an accurate picture of the interior of the eye. This type of scan is performed after administering eye drops to dilate the pupils. The scan does not cause pain and does not involve risk. An OCT scan makes it possible to quantify the fluid that has accumulated inside the retina and, accordingly, the extent of the damage to the retina.

In addition to the OCT scan, eye edema can be diagnosed using a slit lamp or a fluorescein photograph of the fundus of the eye. Both provide a sharp view of the blood vessels in the retina and make it possible to identify the source of the problem. The fluorescein photograph requires injection of a contrast agent in order to demonstrate the abnormal blood vessels in the eye and to identify leakage from them if any exists.

Treatment of eye edema

In diabetic patients and those suffering from high blood pressure, it is important to maintain a suitable and balanced lifestyle that will prevent worsening of the condition. As part of their treatment, a frequent follow-up routine should be conducted with an ophthalmologist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetic retinopathy and macular edema.

Treatments for the edema itself are usually based on intraocular injections whose purpose is to stop the development of the abnormal blood vessels that grow in the retina. There are several substances that are given by injection, including Avastin, Lucentis, Eylea. The choice between the substances will vary according to the state of the eye edema and according to the treatment approach. Contrary to expectations from intraocular injections, this is a relatively simple process, without pain and without significant side effects. These injections are intended to stop the deterioration of the edema and the risk of vision loss.

Likewise, when the edema has developed following damage to blood vessels on the background of diabetic disease, the retinal edema can be treated by means of laser treatment. The laser makes it possible to precisely cauterize the damaged blood vessel and stop the leakage from it. If it is a situation in which there is leakage from a large number of blood vessels, a more comprehensive treatment and more extensive cauterization can be performed.

Alongside the customary treatment of eye edema of injections and laser treatments, it is recommended to combine treatment based on Chinese medicine. This is a natural treatment that complements the standard treatment, in the framework of which one can undergo treatment by acupuncture, by various medicinal herbs or by taking certain dietary supplements. Usually, such a combined treatment brings about the most significant improvement in eye edema.

Summary

Eye edema is caused by various factors that can usually be prevented. It poses a real danger to vision that may worsen over time to the point of complete blindness. Therefore, it is very important to diagnose the edema as early as possible and treat it accordingly.