Epiretinal membrane is a thin membrane or layer of scar tissue that forms over the retina (the transparent, light-sensitive structure at the back of the eye) and then contracts, wrinkling the retina underneath. An epiretinal membrane typically occurs after age 50 and is most common among people older than 75.
Various conditions that can cause or contribute to wrinkling of the retina include the following:
Most of the time, however, no clear cause of epiretinal membrane can be identified.
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Doctors confirm the diagnosis of epiretinal membrane by looking at the back of the eye with an ophthalmoscope. Color photography, fluorescein angiography, and/or optical coherence tomography (an imaging study) may also be helpful.