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Pseudoxanthoma elasticum or PXE (pronounced ‘pixie’) is a disease affecting many parts of the body. It causes calcium and other minerals to build up in various body tissues, especially those which are usually elastic, such as the skin on the neck, armpits and knees. Affected skin develops a yellow, waxy, ‘cobblestone’ appearance and forms loose folds.

Macular oedema (MO) can occur due to inflammation, retinal vein occlusion, surgery and other reasons. Diabetic Macular Oedema (DMO) is a vision threatening complication of diabetes, to understand more about this specific type of macular oedema visit our Diabetic macular oedema webpage.

Central serous retinopathy (CSR) is also known as central serous chorioretinopathy or CSCR. In CSR the macula becomes separated from the eye tissue behind it, and fluid builds up in the space created.

Punctate inner choroidopathy (PIC) is a rare condition caused by inflammation at the back of the eye. It is more common in women, and in short-sighted people.

Visual hallucinations can occur as a result of sight loss.

Up to half of all people with macular degeneration are thought to experience visual hallucinations at some time.

Diagnosing aged-related macula degeneration (AMD)

The optometrist at your local optician’s practice can test sight, prescribe glasses and check for eye disease. Some optometrists use photography or other imaging to detect early signs of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). These might include optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans which create cross-sectional images of the retina. You may be charged for these tests.

A regular eye examination is an important health check for everyone. You should have an eye test every two years or as often as recommended by your optician, even if you don’t have any problems with your sight.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) allows your optician to identify subtle changes over time, such as changes in the vitreous (the jelly-like substance that fills the eye), the retina and the macula.

What is fluorescein angiography?

A fluorescein angiography (FA) is a way of studying what is happening at the back of your eye. The blood in your body flows through tiny blood vessels. It helps the doctor see exactly where the blood vessels are in your eye, their size and any problems they might have. This helps the doctor make a diagnosis.

If you have an inherited macular condition, or your child has been diagnosed, you may be confused and worried about what this means for your family.