Macular Pucker

A macular pucker, which can cause distorted central vision, affects up to 34% of Americans. At Atlantic Retina Consultants in Melbourne, Merritt Island, Palm Bay, Titusville, and Rockledge, Florida, skilled optometrists Hetal Vaishnav, MD, Gary Ganiban, MD, and their team diagnose and treat macular puckers to restore your eye health and vision. Schedule an eye evaluation by phone or request one online today.

What is a macular pucker?

A macular pucker, or epiretinal membrane, is a crease or bulge in the macula at the back of your eye. The macula must lie flat to function correctly. If it wrinkles, it’ll affect your central vision and quality of life. Treatment helps restore the function and health of the affected eye.

What are the symptoms of a macular pucker?

A macular pucker can cause:

• Wavy vision
• Trouble seeing fine details
• Not seeing things clearly
• Cloudy, gray, or blank areas in your central vision
• Straight lines appearing crooked
• Seeing double
• Distorted images

However, a macular pucker doesn’t affect your side vision. It typically affects only one eye.

What are the risk factors for a macular pucker?

Factors that increase your risk of a macular pucker include:

• Scarring
• Aging
• Detached retina
• Torn retina
• Eye swelling
• Diabetes
• Issues with retina blood vessels
• Previous eye surgery
• Eye injury
• Posterior vitreous detachment

Aging can cause the vitreous part of the eye to shrink, pulling it away from the retina.

How is a macular pucker diagnosed?

Diagnosing a macular pucker involves a discussion about your medical history, lifestyle, symptoms, and medications. Your specialist dilates your pupils with eyedrops and examines them to look at the inside of your eyes. They might use optical coherence tomography (OCT) to develop images of internal eye structures and detect or rule out potential concerns.

How is a macular pucker treated?

Treating a macular pucker depends on your symptoms. Your specialist might recommend changing a prescription for contact lenses or eyeglasses to improve your vision. Other treatments could include medication, eyedrops, laser surgery, or other surgeries.

During vitrectomy surgery, your ophthalmologist removes part of the vitreous and scar tissue from the macula, flattens it, and returns it to its ideal position. Your vision slowly improves after this surgery.

You might not need treatment for a mild macular pucker. Your provider personalizes each treatment plan based on your unique situation and preferences.

Call the office today or book an appointment online to schedule an evaluation at Atlantic Retina Consultants to determine if you have a macular pucker.