Macular pucker (also called epiretinal membrane) happens when scar tissue grows on the macula (central retina) and causes it to wrinkle or become distorted. The macula must lie flat against the back of your eye with a good contour to work properly. Macular pucker causes your central vision to be wavy, crooked, distorted or blurry. Age is the most common risk factor for developing this condition. As you get older, the jelly inside the eye begins to shrink and pull away from the retina. This separation can be associated with subsequent scar tissue growth over the macula, between the retina tissue and jelly.
What conditions lead to macular pucker?
The most common risk factor is age. Other eye problems can also cause macular pucker such as:
- Posterior vitreous detachment
- Retinal detachment/tears
- Inflammation in the eye
- Diabetes
- Previous eye surgery
- Eye trauma
- Blood vessel problems in the retina
What is the treatment for macular pucker?
If your condition is mild and not causing many symptoms, observation may be recommended. It is possible that changing your glasses/contact lens prescription may improve your vision. Eye drops, medicine, and laser surgery do not help if you have macular pucker.
If your symptoms affect your daily activities, Dr. Tieu may recommend removal of the scar tissue. In that surgery, Dr. Tieu will remove most of the gel in your eye (the vitreous) and gently peel that scar tissue off the macula. This removes tension on the macula to help straighten its surface. It is likely that your vision will appear straighter soon after surgery, and the clarity of your vision can continue to improve over the next year or two. However, your sight may not be as perfect as it was before the macular pucker developed.