What Is Eye Exudate

Exudate may ooze from cuts or from areas of infection or inflammation. It is also called pus. In people who have an eye disease called diabetic retinopathy, exudates form in the retina of the eye.

Do retinal exudates go away?

The visual loss may be severe and irreversible. Subfoveal hard exudates usually respond poorly to focal laser treatment, but may slowly resolve leaving behind a retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) scar and subfoveal fibrosis with associated poor visual acuity.

How do exudates form?

Exudate is produced from fluid that has leaked out of blood vessels and closely resembles blood plasma. Fluid leaks from capillaries into tissue at a rate that is determined by the permeability of the capillaries and the hydrostatic and osmotic pressures across the capillary walls.