Symptoms may appear early in life or develop in the teen or even adult years. When lipids (fatty acids) accumulate in harmful amounts in various tissues and cells in the body, they can cause health problems. According to Richman, one of the most common conditions causing a cherry red macula is a lipid storage disorder that leads to central retinal artery occlusion. SEE RELATED: Best disease and Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) Cherry red maculaĪ cherry red macula is a rare condition characterized by a reddish area developing at the center of macula. Epiretinal membranes can cause blurred or distorted vision, and, in some cases, surgery may be required to restore vision. Also called macular pucker or cellophane maculopathy, an epiretinal membrane is a thin sheet of fibrous tissue that can grow onto the surface of the macula. The most common form of juvenile macular dystrophy is Stargardt’s disease.Įpiretinal membrane. A number of rare, inherited conditions that affect central vision, macular dystrophies can appear in childhood but some are not diagnosed until later in life. If left untreated, a macular hole can cause a detached retina, a sight-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention. Macular holes are usually caused by age-related changes in the eye. This is a small break in the macula that can cause blurry or distorted vision. The exact cause is not fully understood, but it appears to be stress-related and most often affects middle-aged men. Central serous retinopathy is the accumulation of fluid under the retina that can affect the macula and cause blurry vision. Learn more about diabetic retinopathy and DME.Ĭentral serous retinopathy. Also called DME, this swelling of the macula is caused by leaky blood vessels in the retina that have been damaged from the effects of diabetes (diabetic retinopathy). Macular degeneration (AMD) is an age-related deterioration of the macula and the leading cause of permanent vision loss for people ages 50 and older.ĭiabetic macular edema. Conditions that affect the maculaĬonditions that affect the macula and cause vision loss include:Īge-related macular degeneration. The macula (specifically, the fovea) is the only area of the retina where 20/20 vision is attainable and where color and fine detail can be distinguished.Ĭonsequently, the macula is responsible for enabling the sharp visual detail that's so important for activities like driving, recognizing faces, watching TV, using a computer and engaging in all other visual tasks that require an ability to see details. There is an estimated 120 million rod photoreceptor cells in the retina. While they don't provide high-resolution or color vision, rod cells provide peripheral vision, perceive movement and shades of gray, and can function in low-light conditions. Most rod photoreceptor cells are located outside the macula. The highest concentration is in the fovea (or fovea centralis), which is a central pit within the macula that contains only cone cells. It’s estimated that there are 6 million to 7 million cone cells in the retina, with most of them located in the macula. There is a very high concentration of cone photoreceptor cells in the macula, which are responsible for our color vision and our ability to see fine details. These cells - called cones and rods - make our sense of vision possible by converting light rays into signals that are transmitted to the brain. There are two types of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Macular pigment protects cells in the macula from the potentially harmful effects of high-energy visible (HEV) blue light from the sun and other sources, including the LED screens of computers and phones. The yellow color is due to the macular pigment, which is composed mainly of lutein and zeaxanthin from your diet. Like many medical terms, macula lutea is Latin: Macula means “spot” and lutea means “yellow.” The macula lutea is a very small spot in the central retina - it’s just 5.5 millimeters (less than a quarter-inch) in diameter.Īlso, when viewed or photographed by your eye doctor, the macula lutea has a yellowish appearance (in contrast to the rest of the retina, which is red). The macula makes it possible to see in great detail while the rest of the retina provides peripheral (side) vision. The macula allows one to appreciate detail and perform tasks that require central vision, such as reading.” “It is the small and highly sensitive part of the retina that’s responsible for detailed central vision. “The macula is the area of the retina that allows us to see 20/20,” says Maria Richman, OD, spokeswoman for the American Optometric Association. The macula is responsible for visual acuity, central vision and color vision. The macula lutea - more commonly called the macula - is the most sensitive spot in the center of the light-sensitive retina in the back of the eye.
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