An epiretinal membrane, often called a macular pucker, is a thin layer of tissue that forms on the surface of the retina and can distort the detailed sight you use for reading and recognizing faces. Our retina conditions treatment team at Richens Eye Center evaluates these changes in St. George, Utah. Akbar Shakoor, MD is a board-certified ophthalmologist specializing in diseases of the retina and vitreous, and epiretinal membranes are among his primary clinical and surgical interests.
What Happens When a Macular Pucker Forms?
The macula sits near the center of the retina and supports sharp, detailed sight. When a membrane develops over this area, it can contract or wrinkle the retinal surface. Some people notice little or no change, while others develop blur or distortion that interferes with everyday tasks.
A macular pucker is different from a macular hole. A hole is an opening in the macular tissue itself. An epiretinal membrane remains on the surface and can create traction or wrinkling instead.
What Symptoms Can an Epiretinal Membrane Cause?
The changes are often most noticeable when looking at straight edges, print, or fine details. Symptoms can include:
- Straight lines that appear bent or wavy
- Blurry or distorted sight in the center of your field of view
- Difficulty reading small print
- Objects appearing different in size or shape from one eye to the other
These symptoms aren’t unique to a macular pucker. Macular degeneration and other retinal conditions can produce similar changes, so an eye examination is important when something looks noticeably different.
How Is a Macular Pucker Evaluated?
A comprehensive eye examination gives our team a closer look at the retina and other structures inside the eye. Our retina specialists may also use a dilated examination and optical coherence tomography, or OCT, to view the macula in greater detail and assess whether a membrane is changing its contour.
Not every epiretinal membrane requires treatment. Mild cases that aren’t interfering much with daily activities may simply be monitored. When distortion or loss of clarity becomes more significant, Dr. Shakoor can determine whether surgery to remove the membrane should be considered.
When Should You Seek Prompt Care?
A macular pucker often causes gradual changes rather than a sudden loss of sight. New flashes of light, a sudden increase in floaters, a dark curtain or shadow, or abrupt vision loss can point to a more urgent problem such as retinal detachment and should be evaluated promptly.
Have Changes in Your Sight Evaluated in St. George
Wavy lines, new distortion, or unexplained difficulty seeing fine details are worth having checked rather than guessing at the cause. At Richens Eye Center, our retina team evaluates these concerns in St. George, Utah. Contact us to arrange an appointment, or call 435-986-2020.
