Macular Pucker

Macular Pucker

The macula is a small area in the center of the retina that is responsible for our central vision. A macular pucker is a layer of scar tissue which develops on the macula as a result of the vitreous in the eye being pulled away from the retina. This scar tissue can contract and wrinkle, or pucker, the underlying retina which can then affect vision.
Symptoms may not appear in the early stage of macular pucker but as it progresses symptoms may include:

• Blurred or distorted vision
• Straight lines appear wavy
• Cloudy area in central vision
• Blind spot in central vision

To diagnose a macular pucker, one of our retina specialists will perform a dilated comprehensive eye exam along with necessary imaging tests such as an optical coherence tomography (OCT) to photograph the retina.

Treatment may not be required for macular puckers in the early stages. However, if treatment does become necessary, the most common treatment is vitrectomy surgery. A vitrectomy is performed under local anesthesia as an outpatient procedure and typically takes less than an hour to complete. During this surgery, the vitreous is removed and replaced with a saline solution. The scar tissue is peeled off which allows the macula to smooth out over time. Vision will gradually improve as the eye heals, though it may not completely return to normal.

‍