What are Microaneurysms?
Microaneurysms are tiny outpouchings of blood that protrude from an artery or vein. When they occur in the eye, they are known as retinal microaneurysms. If these protrusions open, they leak blood into the tissues of the retina.
What causes a Microaneurysm?
Any form of vascular disease or high blood pressure may contribute to a retinal microaneurysm, however the most common cause is diabetes mellitus.
What is Irma retina?
Intraretinal microvascular abnormalities (or IrMAs) are shunt vessels and appear as abnormal branching or dilation of existing blood vessels (capillaries) within the retina that act to supply areas of non-perfusion in diabetic retinopathy.
What is the cause of Microaneurysms in nonproliferative retinopathy?
Mild Nonproliferative Retinopathy These microaneurysms are areas of swelling of the tiny blood vessels in the Retina, caused by the weakening of their structure.
How are Microaneurysms treated?
Treatments like a change in diet and exercise can help manage blood sugar levels and keep blood vessels in the eye from being damaged. Additionally, once blood vessels in the eye start leaking, laser surgery can help cauterize them and stop or slow the leaking.
What causes exudative retinopathy?
The most common causes of exudative retinal detachment are leaking blood vessels or swelling in the back of the eye. There are several things that can cause leaking blood vessels or swelling in your eye: Injury or trauma to your eye. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
What is a neovascularization?
“Neovascularization” means “new blood vessels.” These new, abnormal blood vessels originate in the choroid, a vessel-containing layer under the retina.
What does Irma look like in the retina?
IRMAs are shunt vessels which are enlarged hypercellular capillaries adjacent to or surrounding areas of occluded capillaries. They appear as dilated, telangiectatic capillaries within the retina.
How do you identify Irma?
One way to distinguish IRMA from retinal neovascularization is to perform fluorescein angiography. Since IRMA blood vessels are patent, unlike neovascular vessels, they do not leak, and therefore exhibit hyperfluorescence on fluorescein angiography.
What is the difference between microaneurysms and dot hemorrhages?
When they are located in the deeper layers, the hemorrhage will look like a red dot or blot. Clinically, microaneurysms and dot hemorrhages are indistinguishable ( Fig. 1), so they are referred to as hemorrhages and/or microaneurysms (H/Ma).