Cystoid macular edema (CME) is the inflammatory swelling of the macula. The macula is at the back of the eye, the bull's eye center of the retina. It is the part of the eye that allows us to see fine details such as the numbers on a watch, the features on someone's face, or the amount of spices poured from a container. People with macular edema still can retain peripheral vision, but lose the ability to see details.

There are many possible causes of macular edema. Some of these are diabetic retinopathy, macular pucker, uveitis, retinitis pigmentosa, radiation exposure, post-cataract surgery, retinal vein occlusion, certain topical or systemic medications, certain tumors, and others. Please refer to the other sections of the Eye Diseases & Disorders on this website for more information.