Maculopathy treatment
It is very rare for macular oedema to go away on its own. Maculopathy can also be treated with Retinal Laser and Anti-VEGF drugs, similar to diabetic retinopathy treatment options. Besides these, there are additional treatments to consider.
Steroid Implant
Some patients may not respond to anti-VEGF injections or may not be suitable for this treatment due to other reasons. For those patients, we recommend treatment with steroid-based drugs.
At Clinica London, we use two different drugs for steroid treatment, both of which are injected into the eye, just like anti-VEGF drugs. One of the drugs is delivered as a steroid-releasing implant that is slowly discharged inside the eye over up to three years. The other drug is delivered as a pellet of steroid that dissolves over three to six months.
Surgery
In specific cases where the macular oedema is caused mainly by a band that is pulling on the retina, retinal surgery may be necessary. Our vitreoretinal surgeons can perform this procedure at Clinica London, Ms Evgenia Anikina and Mr Julian Robins.
During the procedure, the surgeon will make a small incision in the eye and remove the band which is causing the macular oedema, with delicate intra-ocular microsurgery. Once the band has been removed, the macular oedema will begin to resolve, and vision may improve.
Maculopathy surgery is usually performed under local anaesthesia and on an outpatient basis.