Swelling in the central part of the retina—the area responsible for sharp, detailed vision—usually caused by leaky blood vessels.Macular edema is the accumulation of fluid within the macula due to breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier, causing visual acuity loss. It occurs in diabetic retinopathy (diabetic macular edema, DME), retinal vein occlusion, uveitis, and post-surgical inflammation. VEGF-mediated vascular hyperpermeability is the primary driver. Anti-VEGF intravitreal injections are first-line therapy. Peptide-based approaches under investigation include somatostatin analogs (octreotide intravitreal), anti-VEGF peptides, and neurotrophic peptides targeting retinal neurodegeneration.