A Film Over Your Vision

An epiretinal membrane is a thin sheet of fibrous tissue that can form on the macula.  It acts like a film through which it is harder to see.

The film may also contract like scar tissue, which can pull on the delicate retina at the back of your eye. This ‘puckering’ of the macula can distort your vision, and can also cause the retina to swell so it doesn’t work as well. This condition is known as a ‘macular pucker’.

In most cases, epiretinal membranes occur in people with no history of eye problems. It is usually caused by natural changes in the vitreous ‘gel’ inside the eye.  Sometimes, an epiretinal membrane can form as a result of a previous eye problem, such as a torn or detached retina, trauma, disease, or blood vessel abnormality.

Not all epiretinal membranes require treatment. If the epiretinal membrane is very mild, and has little or no effect on your vision, then treatment will generally be unnecessary.

In more severe cases, epiretinal membrane surgery may be necessary to remove the membrane.