Macular Pucker (Epiretinal Membrane)
At a glance: an epiretinal membrane, also called a macular pucker, is a wrinkle in the center of the retina caused by a thin film of tissue on its surface. It can make straight lines look wavy. Many are mild and only need watching.
What is happening inside the eye
The macula is the part of the retina that gives you sharp, straight-ahead vision. Sometimes a thin, see-through film forms on top of it. Eye doctors call this an epiretinal membrane. When the film contracts, it puckers the macula like plastic wrap pulled tight, which is where the name "macular pucker" comes from.
What patients notice
- Words on a page that look bent or crowded
- A blurry or gray spot in the center of one eye
- Lines on a door, window blind or crossword grid that look curvy
- Nothing at all, when the pucker is mild
Common causes
Most are related to age. As the gel inside the eye shrinks and separates from the retina, it can leave behind cells that grow into a membrane. A pucker can also develop after cataract or retina surgery, a retinal tear, diabetic eye disease, inflammation or an injury to the eye.
How Bolt Eye Group checks for it
We dilate your pupils to look directly at the macula and take retinal photos. With an in-office telehealth visit, your $39 imaging also includes two OCT scans, one of the optic nerve and one of the macula. OCT shows the retina in cross-section, like the layers of a cake. The macula scan shows how thick and wrinkled the macula is. Because every scan is saved, we can lay this year's scan beside next year's and see whether anything has changed.
Your options
- Watching it: the right choice for most mild cases, with scans at your regular visits
- Updated glasses: can sharpen vision that has blurred slightly
- Surgery: if the distortion bothers you, we refer you to a retina surgeon, who can peel the film off the retina
Don't wait if you notice
New flashes, a sudden burst of floaters, or a dark curtain over part of your vision can mean a retinal tear or detachment. Call your Bolt Eye Group office the same day.
Common questions
Do I need surgery for a macular pucker?
Most people do not. Surgery is only considered when the distortion or blur gets in the way of everyday life. Until then, we track it with OCT scans.
Can a macular pucker go away on its own?
Occasionally a membrane loosens on its own, but most stay the same or change slowly over years. That is why we compare your scans from visit to visit.
Is it in both eyes?
It usually starts in one eye. Some people develop one in the other eye later, so we check both at every exam.
Bolt Eye Group sees patients in Canton, East Cobb (Marietta), Lawrenceville and Riverdale, Georgia, and Johnson City, Tennessee. Find your office and book online.