Eye edema facts

Introduction to eye edema

Eye edema is a condition that is commonly associated with a swelling of the eye, and it is a condition that is often triggered by diabetes.

Eye edema is a swelling of the eye that makes it harder for a person to see clearly.

It is usually caused by a buildup of fluid or an infection that causes inflammation, usually under the eye.

However, in some cases, the swelling can occur inside the eye as well.

When the swelling occurs in the cornea, it is then a corneal edema, and this is the most common type. If the retina is swollen, then it is referred to as macular edema, which is the one that can drastically affect a person’s vision.

However, the corneal edema causes pain, while the macular edema usually does not.

Symptoms

In both cases, the primary symptom is a decrease in the ability to see clearly, therefore, the most common symptom can be said to be blurred vision.

Also, the eye will be extremely sensitive to light and the vision will be foggy as well.

Causes

Infections are the primary cause of edemas, and the severity of the infection will determine how serious the problems with the vision will be as well.

Another thing that can lead to an edema is a hard blow to the eye. In the case of a macular one, diabetes is usually a problem. Diabetic retinopathy is a condition in which the retina is damaged, which can lead to a macular edema.

Sometimes a corneal one can be a side effect of surgery, such as a cataract operation. It can also be caused by contact lenses that do not fit well or using contact lenses for a long time without taking them out and cleaning them, which is even more problematic when a person regularly sleeps with their contact lenses still on their eyes. Treatment

It is very important to treat the edema as soon as it is noticed in order to prevent further complications and increased swelling, which can result in a drastic deterioration of the vision.

In the case of macular edema, the doctor will usually prescribe anti-inflammatory eye drops in order to get rid of the swelling.

There are eye drops that have been created for the sole purpose of treating corneal edemas and they are available over-the-counter. They should be used regularly until the swelling goes down, and it will usually say on the box in what intervals the drops need to be used and how many drops need to be applied to the eye each time.