Leakage manifests itself in two ways.

( 1 )

The first is that there may be waterlogging of the macula in either a localised or generalised fashion.

This waterlogging thickens the macula which disrupts its normal anatomy. It also means that the biological soup in which the electrical activity of the macula normally occurs is disrupted and abnormal. Both of these problems result in impaired function.




Pic : A cross sectional scan through a normal macula with a central depression.




Pic : A scan showing a waterlogged macula due to diabetic macular odema, the retina is thickened and the spaces result from disruption of the normal structure.


( 2 )

The second feature of leakage is deposition of exudates or fatty deposits. They tend to occur at the edge of areas of leakage. The exudate disrupts the structure of the retina and results in impaired function.




Pic : A normal macula.



Pic : An eye with exudative diabetic maculopathy. The small yellow dots below the centre are exudates.