Retina and macula conditions: symptoms and treatment options
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Conditions affecting the retina and macula, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. Includes macular degeneration and retinal detachment.
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Quick answer
Conditions affecting the retina and macula, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. Includes macular degeneration and retinal detachment.
General educational information about a subject, not an assessment of your own eyes. Suitability and treatment decisions are made by a qualified ophthalmologist who has examined you.
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Retina and macula conditions
Conditions affecting the retina and macula, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. Includes macular degeneration and retinal detachment.
Also known as retina and macula conditions, retinal conditions
Questions about Retina and macula conditions
Each answer below is the short version; the question links to the page that carries it in full, with sources.
- Why should the retina be examined before vision correction?
The retina should be examined because a refractive assessment is also an opportunity to find conditions that have nothing to do with the cornea and that would change how your eyes are managed, particularly in higher short sightedness.
- What is macular degeneration?
Macular degeneration is damage to the central part of the retina, which affects fine detail such as reading and recognising faces while peripheral vision remains.
- Why do I see flashes of light?
Flashes of light are often caused by the gel inside the eye pulling on the retina. New flashes, or flashes with a sudden increase in floaters or a shadow across the vision, need urgent assessment.
- What are the signs of a retinal problem?
The pattern that needs urgent assessment is a sudden increase in floaters, new flashes of light, or a dark shadow or curtain moving across part of the vision. These should be assessed the same day rather than booked routinely.
- What is an OCT eye scan?
An OCT scan uses light to build a cross-sectional image of the retina, which shows its layers and any fluid or thinning that a photograph would not reveal. It is quick and does not touch the eye.
- What is a retinal detachment?
The retina separating from the wall of the eye, which threatens vision if it is not treated. The warning sign is often a sudden increase in floaters, new flashes of light, or a shadow or curtain moving across the vision, and it needs urgent assessment rather than a routine appointment.
All 34 Eye conditions questions, searchable
Related subjects
- Diabetic eye disease
Eye problems caused by diabetes, including diabetic retinopathy and macular edema. A leading cause of vision loss in adults.
- Floaters
Small shapes that drift across the vision. Most are harmless, and a sudden increase with flashes or a shadow across the vision needs urgent assessment.
- Flashes of light
Brief flashes, usually at the edge of vision. New or repeated flashes, particularly with floaters, need same-day assessment rather than a routine appointment.
This page describes what is generally true about retina and macula conditions. It is not a diagnosis, and it cannot say whether a treatment is suitable for you, because suitability depends on measurements taken during an examination.
Sources & further reading
We prefer primary sources. Where a claim comes from a manufacturer, a single study or a regulator, it is labelled as such below.
- EyeSmart: eye health information for the public Patient information American Academy of Ophthalmology
Patient-facing material from the largest ophthalmology professional body, covering conditions, tests and treatments outside refractive surgery.
Used for Cross-checking patient-facing explanations of non-refractive eye conditions; Describing what tests such as dilation and OCT involve.
Link checked 23 September 2026
- The Royal College of Ophthalmologists Professional body The Royal College of Ophthalmologists (UK)
The UK professional body for ophthalmologists, which publishes standards and commissioning guidance for refractive surgery services.
Used for What good preoperative assessment and consent look like.
Link checked 22 September 2026
- Eye Health Information Patient information National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health (US)
Condition-by-condition eye health information from a US government research institute, written for patients rather than for clinicians.
Used for Plain-language explanations of eye conditions and their symptoms; Healthy vision and screening guidance.
Link checked 23 September 2026
- Cataracts in adults: management (NG77) Clinical reference National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (UK) · 2017
Clinical guidance on when cataract surgery is indicated, what should be discussed before it, and what follow-up is expected.
Used for When cataract surgery is considered appropriate rather than cosmetic timing; What patients should be told before cataract surgery.
Link checked 23 September 2026