What is a macular pucker?
The macula normally lies flat against the back of eye, like film lining the back of a camera. When wrinkles, creases or bulges form on the macula, this is known as macular pucker.
What are they symptoms of macular pucker?
Symptoms of macular pucker range from mild to severe and may involve one or both eyes. Symptoms may include:
- blurred central (detail) vision;
- distorted, or “wavy,” vision;
- difficulty reading or performing tasks that require detail vision;
- gray and/or cloudy area in central vision;
- central blind spot.
What causes a macular pucker?
As you age, the vitreous—the clear, gel-like substance that fills the middle of your eye—begins to shrink and pull away from the retina. As the vitreous pulls away, scar tissue may develop on the macula. Sometimes the scar tissue can warp and contract, causing the retina to wrinkle or bulge.
Eye conditions associated with macular pucker include:
- vitreous detachment;
- torn or detached retina;
- inflammation inside the eye;
- severe trauma to the eye (from surgery or injury);
- disorders of the blood vessels in the retina.