The macula is the part of the retina which provides the finest quality vision. It is the central part of the vision and to many people the most important part of the vision.

It provides the finest quality vision and is the part of the eye with which you read and recognise faces. There are two different processes that may occur within the diabetic macula that results in loss of vision. The first is ischaemia (loss of blood supply) and the second is leaking from blood vessels with consequent waterlogging (or oedema, edema).