Which term is associated with the pathological condition of excessive fluid accumulation?

The term associated with the pathological condition of excessive fluid accumulation is edema. Edema specifically refers to the abnormal buildup of fluid in the interstitial tissues or cavities of the body, which can result from various causes such as injury, inflammation, or systemic conditions affecting fluid balance. Understanding edema is crucial in ophthalmology because it can relate to conditions affecting the eye such as macular edema, where fluid accumulation in the macula affects vision.

While the other terms are related to fluid and tissue conditions, they describe different processes. Hydrops refers to an accumulation of serous fluid in tissues or cavities but is typically used in specific contexts, such as hydrops in relation to fetal conditions or certain types of joint effusions. Hemorrhage specifically denotes the escape of blood from blood vessels, often resulting in bruising or bleeding, and does not refer to fluid accumulation in the same sense as edema. Infiltration generally indicates the entrance of substances into tissues, which can include fluids, but does not specifically denote excessive fluid accumulation as edema does.