Epiretinal membrane is a disease of the eye in response to changes in the
vitreous humor or more rarely,
diabetes. It is also called macular pucker. Sometimes, as a result of immune system response to protect the retina, cells converge in the macular area as the vitreous ages and pulls away in
posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). PVD can create minor damage to the retina, stimulating exudate, inflammation, and
leucocyte response. These cells can form a transparent layer gradually and, like all
scar tissue, tighten to create tension on the retina which may bulge and pucker (e.g. macular pucker), or even cause swelling or
Macular edema. Often this results in distortions of vision that are clearly visible as bowing and blurring when looking at lines on chart paper (or an
Amsler grid) within the
macular area, or central 1.0 degree of visual arc. Usually it occurs in one eye first, and the distortions create binocular
diplopia or
double vision. The distortions can make objects look different in size (usually larger = macropsia), especially in the central portion of the visual field, creating a localized or field dependent
aniseikonia that cannot be fully corrected optically with glasses. Partial correction often improves the binocular vision considerably though. In the young (under 50 years of age), these cells occasionally pull free and disintegrate on their own; but in the majority of sufferers (over 60 years of age) the condition is permanent. The underlying
photoreceptor cells,
rod cells and
cone cells, are usually not damaged unless the membrane becomes quite thick and hard; so usually there is no
macular degeneration.
See more at Wikipedia.org...
(Also cellophane maculopathy, cellophane retinopathy, internal limiting membrane disease, surface wrinkling retinopathy, wrinkled retina, and epiretinal membrane)
wrinkling or puckering of the retina as a result of contraction, which is caused by forward movement of the vitreous fluid and the resulting formation of a thin scar membrane on the surface of the retina.
For more information, See
Eye Diseases" and
Macular Hole, Epiretinal Membranes, and Macular Pucker Have Similar Origins on the MD Support web site.
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