Diabetic Macular Oedema (DMO)

The retina functions like a layer of photographic film lining the back of your eye and it contains specialised photoreceptor cells that are needed for sight. The very important central area of the retina that lets you see the colours and details is called the macula. Diabetes can cause damage to the capillaries, including the fine blood vessels of the macula.

Give sufficient diabetic damage, the capillaries of the macula start to leak fluid and protein, causing the macula to become swollen and ‘water logged’. This is known as Diabetic Macular Oedema (DMO).

What are the Risk Factors of DMO?

The main risk factors are the duration of diabetes, less-than-ideal control of diabetes, and high blood pressure.

What are the Symptoms of DMO?

DMO causes distortion and blurring of the central vision and this usually results in difficulty with detailed visual tasks such as reading, watching television, driving and recognising faces.

How is Diabetic Macular Oedema Diagnosed?

The diagnosis of DMO is made by a combination of clinical examination (dilated fundoscopy) and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) in most cases. The OCT is an entirely non-invasive laser scanning test that produces a detailed cross-section picture of the macula. OCT can look at the extent of the swelling in the macula caused by the capillary leakage in DMO. OCT also allow us to monitor the effect of the treatment at subsequent visits.

DMO can be effectively treated with anti-VEGF injections.