What Is the Macula?

Macula: 0.35 cm below the temporal side of the fundus optic disc and slightly below, in the optical center of the human eye, is the projection point of the visual axis. The macula is rich in lutein and is darker than the surrounding retina. The depression in the center of the macula is called the fovea, and is the place where vision is most acute.

Macula: 0.35 cm below the temporal side of the fundus optic disc and slightly below, in the optical center area of the human eye, is the projection point of the visual axis. The macula is rich in lutein and is darker than the surrounding retina. The depression in the center of the macula is called the fovea, and is the place where vision is most acute.

Chinese name

Macula

Foreign name

macula lutea

Department

Ophthalmology

Recent developments in macular research

The Ophthalmology and Neuroscience Research Center of the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom conducts clinical research on lutein supplementation for 60-81-year-old patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). After 15 weeks of continuous lutein supplementation, retinal macular There was a significant increase in pigment content in the skin, and damaged retinal tissue was repaired. Studies have shown that supplementation with lutein has a marked improvement in senile retinal macular lesions, at least in the early stages. The Eye Disease Research and Control Association (EDCC), through a survey of 421 AMD patients and 615 disease-free groups, concluded that people with high serum carotenoid concentrations had a significantly reduced risk of AMD. Because lutein and carotenoids such as zeaxanthin also have the ability to prevent free radicals from causing cell and organ damage in the human body, it can also prevent cardiovascular sclerosis, coronary heart disease and tumor diseases caused by aging of the body.

Macular macular edema

1. Macular edema: refers to the result of accumulation of retinal inner layer fluid in the macular part for various reasons. But it is not an independent eye disease. It is a complication of various diseases such as retinal vein occlusion, diabetic retinopathy, uveitis, and eye trauma.

2. Etiology and pathology: Macular cystoid edema may occur if any eye disease destroys the integrity of the blood-retinal barrier. Common causes are retinal vein occlusion, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vasculitis, radiation retinopathy, vascular tumors and malformations, hypertension, choroidal neovascularization, uveitis and endophthalmitis, retinal pigment degeneration, and drug-induced retinopathy. , Macular anterior retinal membrane, retinal capillary vasodilation, macular choroidal neovascularization, Coats disease, ocular trauma, hole-induced retinal detachment and anterior retinal membrane, cataract extraction, anti-glaucoma filtering surgery, penetrating cornea After transplantation.

3. The pathogenesis is not very clear and may involve multiple factors. There are various theories such as metabolic abnormality, ischemia, hydrostatic pressure, mechanical force, inflammatory response and toxic response. For example, the lesion invades the capillaries of the macula, or the vitreous traction on the retina affects the capillaries, the tight structure of the retinal capillary endothelial cells is destroyed, and the fluid and macromolecular substances in the blood vessels leak outward, and the fluid accumulates The extracellular space of the extraretinal plexiform layer forms retinal edema. Since the Henle fibers in the outer plexiform layer of the macula are arranged radially, the liquid accumulated therein forms a characteristic polycystic morphology. The extracellular space in the central area of the macula is expanded by the accumulation of fluid. Because the gap in the central area is larger, the cystic cavity formed is also larger, and it is surrounded by a smaller cystic cavity.