The key difference between macular degeneration and macular edema is that macular degeneration is caused due to damage to the macula of the retina by drusen, cellular debris, and blood and fluid leakage, while macular edema is caused due to damage to the macula of the retina by the leaking of blood vessels.
Macular degeneration and macular edema are two eye conditions that affect the macula of the retina. They may cause blindness and are mainly treated through surgeries.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Macular Degeneration
3. What is Macular Edema
4. Similarities – Macular Degeneration and Macular Edema
5. Macular Degeneration vs Macular Edema in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Macular Degeneration vs Macular Edema
What is Macular Degeneration?
Macular degeneration is an eye condition caused due to damage to the macula of the retina by drusen, cellular debris, or blood and fluid leakage. It is a macular disease that may result in blurred or no vision in the centre of the visual field. In the early stages, there will be no symptoms. But over time, some people may experience a gradual decrease in vision that usually affects both eyes. It does not cause complete blindness. However, problems in central vision it makes hard to recognize faces, drive, read, or perform other daily activities. Moreover, some people may also experience visual hallucinations. Macular degeneration is typically seen in older people.
Figure 01: Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration is caused by genetic factors and smoking. There are two types of macular degeneration: dry and wet form. Macular degeneration is diagnosed through a complete eye examination. The treatment options for macular degeneration include exercising, eating well (diet with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and carotenes), stopping smoking, anti-VEGF medication injected into the eye, and laser coagulation or photodynamic therapy.
What is Macular Edema?
Macular edema is an eye condition caused due to damage to the macula of the retina only by the leaking of blood vessels. The causes of macular edema include diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, uveitis, blocked veins in the retina, eye surgery, and medications such as drugs to treat glaucoma. The symptoms of this condition include blurry vision or central vision loss (making it hard to read and drive) that worsens over time, objects looking wavy, objects looking like they are different in sizes, and colours looking dull or faded.
Figure 02: Macular Edema
Macular edema can be diagnosed through a complete eye examination, fluorescein angiogram, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and Amsler grid. Furthermore, the treatment options for macular edema include managing diabetes, injecting medicines called anti-VEGF drugs, eye drops, laser therapy, and eye surgery (vitrectomy).
What are the Similarities Between Macular Degeneration and Macular Edema?
- Macular degeneration and macular edema are two eye conditions that affect the macula of the retina.
- Both eye conditions can be caused by blood or fluid leakages.
- They cause blurry vision or central vision loss.
- Both eye conditions can be diagnosed through an eye examination.
- They are treated through specific medicines and surgeries.
What is the Difference Between Macular Degeneration and Macular Edema?
Macular degeneration is an eye condition caused due to damages to the macula of the retina by drusen, cellular debris, and blood and fluid leakage, while macular edema is an eye condition caused due to damages to the macula of the retina only by the leaking of blood vessels. Thus, this is the key difference between macular degeneration and macular edema. Furthermore, macular degeneration is caused by genetic factors and smoking, while macular edema is caused by diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, uveitis, blocked veins in the retina, eye surgery, medications such as drugs to treat glaucoma.
The below infographic presents the differences between macular degeneration and macular edema in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Macular Degeneration vs Macular Edema
Macular degeneration and macular edema are two macular diseases. Both these eye conditions can be caused by blood or fluid leakages and result in blurry vision or central vision loss. Macular degeneration is caused due to damage to the macula of the retina by drusen, cellular debris, and blood and fluid leakage, while macular edema is caused due to damage to the macula of the retina only by the leaking of blood vessels. So, this summarizes the difference between macular degeneration and macular edema.
Reference:
1. Boyd, Kierstan. “What Is Macular Degeneration?” American Academy of Ophthalmology.
2. “Macular Edema.” The American Society of Retina Specialists.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Macular Degeneration” By BruceBlaus – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Mild macular oedema” By Community Eye Health (CC BY-NC 2.0) via Flickr