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Thanks. Tell me about it if you don't mind - what causes it? What can be done about it? Reading the webmd shit is morbid....would like to know from someone who has dealt with it. Thanks again.
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Macular edema is a real possibility. I am (hopefully) nearing the end of a bout with that. Get thyself to an ophthalmologist hastily, says I.
Thanks. Tell me about it if you don't mind - what causes it? What can be done about it? Reading the webmd shit is morbid....would like to know from someone who has dealt with it. Thanks again.
I don't think anyone really has a solid grasp on the causes of macular edema or the more specific central serous retinopathy that I have. According to a
Wikipedia article, two known correlations are high stress and steroid usage. I don't use steroids.
I think the effects can vary from person to person. Typically, CSR goes away on its own after several months. If not, several forms of laser treatment are possible, depending on the source of the fluid leakage. Best case, the source is away from the macula. Then the laser treatment is fairly simple. If it is beneath the macula, there are still options, but they are more complicated and expensive as I understand it. None involve invasive surgery that I know of.
Here is what my maculae look like, for reference. The top two images of each eye are cross sections. The fluid build up is obvious. The bottom is a 3D topography of the macula. Your mileage may vary.
In my case, it manifested itself as a dark spot in the center of my vision in only the bad eye. Like when you close your eyes after looking at a bright light and you see color splotches corresponding to where the light was. But it is 24/7 for me. It originally looked like a dark purple circle on the normal black background with a smaller dark green circle inside it. With both eyes open, it's usually not very noticeable. I'm about 8 months into it and it has subsided a great deal. It's smaller and the shape is more volatile. I'll get reevaluated in a few weeks.
If CSR is what you have, breathe a sigh of relief. But get checked ASAP to find out because there are other possibilities. BTW, I'm no doctor -- not by a long shot. I'm just spouting what I know from my own experience.