Fluid inside the eyes is normal.
Excess fluid is usually brought on by a medical issue.
Excess fluid inside the eye can be due to a variety of conditions.
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This can make it easy to overlook the signs.
Eventually, the eye may swell enough that vision is affected.
You may need treatment to prevent eye damage or vision loss.
Macular Edema
Macular edemaoccurs when there is an excessive amount of fluid in the macula.
The fluid builds up in the macula from damaged blood vessels in the retina.
When there is excess fluid in the macula, vision is affected.
Diabetic Macular Edema
Diabetic macular edema is due todiabetic retinopathy, which is a complication of diabetes.
Because the retina is critical to vision, diabetic retinopathy can lead to vision loss.
Controlling yourblood sugar levelsis one way to reduce the risk of developing the eye condition or having it worsen.
The fluid buildup is due to leakage from a layer of tissue under the retina (called thechoroid).
This, in turn, causes the retina to detach and vision to be impaired.
When the macula is damaged, central vision and the ability to see fine details are negatively affected.
Age-related macular degeneration is the most common cause of significant loss of eyesight among people aged 50 and older.
There are different types of glaucoma, and symptoms vary.
Other less common types of glaucoma include normal tension glaucoma, pseudo-exfoliation, angle recession, andpigmentary.
Other Causes of Excess Internal Eye Fluid
Excessive fluid inside the eye is not without cause.
Choroidal effusion is a possible complication of many eye surgeries, especially surgery to correct glaucoma.
It can also be resulting from eye trauma or inflammation.
Some people with choroidal effusion do not experience symptoms.
Others may have decreased vision, severe eye pain, or nausea and vomiting.
More severe choroidal effusions can lead toretinal detachment, in which the retina detaches from its supportive tissue.
Retinal detachment must be treated quickly to prevent blindness.
When that occurs, fluid can pass through the tear, leading to more tears or possibly retinal detachment.
A retinal tear will result in:
The biggest risk factor for developing a retinal tear is aging.
Chemosis is a sign of underlying eye irritation, not a condition of its own.
In severe cases of chemosis, the conjunctiva may appear to be blistering.
In some cases, the swelling can make it difficult to exit the eye.
For macular edema and macular degeneration, an eye doctor may start with prescribing aninjection of anti-VEGF medicines.
The injection is given directly into the eye, and works by reducing leaky blood vessels.
This may help restore vision and protect the macula from damage.
Steroid medicationsmay be helpful in instances of swelling to lower pressure in the eye.
A steroid injection can be injected directly into the eye.
Or, the ophthalmologist may prescribe steroid eye drops or oral medications.
Glaucoma eye dropsare specifically formulated to reduce the amount of fluid the eye produces.
There are several different kinds, including alpha agonist, beta-blocker, and miotic eye drops.
Your provider may prescribe one or more kinds to lower eye pressure and protect your vision.
This laser surgery uses heat to shrink or destroy leaky blood vessels.
Surgeryis typically reserved for cases when other, less-invasive treatments do not solve the problem.
If you are experiencing chemosis, anover-the-counter antihistamineandcold compressesshould be enough to relieve eye irritation.
Once the underlying condition is determined, treatment will be more effective.
In some cases, the condition may resolve on its own.
For others, you will need treatment to prevent eye damage and vision loss.
If you notice symptoms like blurred vision or severe eye pain, make an appointment with an eye doctor.
They can help you get to the root of the issue and point you toward any necessary treatment.
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