Eyedrops, injections of cortisone around the eye or laser surgery can be used to treat a macular edema. Recovery depends on the severity of the condition causing the edema. The macula is the part of the retina responsible for acute central vision, the vision one uses for reading, watching television, and recognizing faces. A macular hole is a small round opening in the macula. The hole causes a blind spot or blurred area directly in the center of your vision.
Most macular holes occur in the elderly.
Sometimes injury or long-term swelling can cause a macular hole. No specific medical problem is known to cause macular holes. Vitrectomy surgery, the only treatment for a macular hole, removes the vitreous gel and scar tissue pulling on the macula and keeping the hole open. The eye is then filled with a special air bubble to push against the macula and close the hole. The air bubble will gradually dissolve, but the patient must maintain a face down position for one to two weeks to keep the gas bubble in contact with the macula.