Macular edema is another term for swelling of the central retina, causing blurry or distorted vision.
The macula is the center of the retina that provides for sharp vision. Edema is the medical term used for swelling. Therefore, macular edema is swelling of the central vision. This can be caused by a number of diagnoses, including macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, and inflammation after cataract surgery. There are several vision-saving therapies for macular edema, including drops and eye injections. If you are experiencing blurry or distorted vision, a careful history and dilated examination by a retina specialist will determine whether you have macular edema.