Etiology and treatment of the inflammatory causes of cystoid macular edema

Hyung Cho¹, Assumpta Madu¹

¹Department of Ophthalmology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA

Abstract: Cystoid macular edema in its various forms can be considered one of the leading causes of central vision loss in the developed world. It occurs in a wide variety of pathologic conditions and represents the final common pathway of several basic processes. Therapeutic approaches to cystoid macular edema depend on a clear understanding of its contributing pathophysiologic mechanisms. This review will discuss the mechanism of ocular inflammation in cystoid macular edema with a particular focus on the inflammatory causes: post-operative, uveitic, and after laser procedures. A variety of pharmacologic agents targeting inflammatory molecules have been shown to reduce macular edema and improve visual function. However, the long-term efficacy and safety of most new therapies have yet to be established in controlled clinical trials.

Keywords: ocular inflammation, cystoid macular edema, uveitis