Macular edema

Macular edema is an accumulation of fluid in part of the retina that is responsible for central vision and this part is called macula

Sometimes after cataract surgery this area will accumulate fluid which leads to blurring of vision for few days and sometimes for weeks and months. Macular odema that occur after cataract surgery will be called Irvine-Gass syndrome.

This complication can be diagnosed clinically, by the use of OCT and FFA( fluorescein angiography ).

There are risk factors which will increase the incidence of it which are:

1- Diabetic patients

2- Rupture of the posterior capsule with vitreous loss

3- Eye drops or injections which have adrenaline as a component

Treatment of macular odema

1- Observation in which it will resolved by itself

2- NSAIDs eye drops before and after the surgery can be given for high risk patients

3- Laser photo-coagulation can be given to the macula to decrease the amount of leaking fluid but usually this is not the first line of treatment. Sometimes in diabetic patient who is in high risk for post operation retinal odema, laser photo-coagulation can be given before surgery

4- By the use of steroid either by eye drops or by intra-ocular steroid injection