Epiretinal Membrane – or Macula Pucker

This is a problem usually related to increasing age, when the vitreous, the clear gel substance that fills the middle of the eye, begins to shrink and pull away from the retina. As this happens it often leads to the development of scar tissue on the macula — the small area in the middle of the retina, which enables clarity of fine detail. Distortion to the macula causes blurred central vision, while remaining clear around the perimeter of the viewing area.

Symptoms of this problem range from mild to severe and could, at times, involve both eyes. Among the early symptoms of this problem are blurred central vision; distorted or "wavy" vision; difficulty in performing tasks requiring detailed vision; gray or cloudy area in the central vision and, possibly a central blind spot.

Patients visiting Dr. Uniat with these symptoms will have their eyes dilated and the retina examined, using the clinic's OCT (optical coherence tomography) machine, to obtain a clear understanding of the structure of the inner eye. This will show, instantaneously, the extent of any damage.

If the damage is limited, the answer may well be as simple as modification of the eye glass prescription. If, however, the condition is more serious, it would require vitrectomy surgery. In a vitrectomy, tiny instruments are used to remove the wrinkled tissue, allowing the macula to flatten, which leads to the vision improving, although not always to the original quality.