Macular Pucker Specialist

What is macular pucker?

Macular pucker refers to a condition in which scar tissue develops on your macula, which is located in the center of your retina and is responsible for the sharp, clear vision you need to read and drive. 

You may develop a macular pucker as the vitreous humor, which is the gel-like substance in your eye, begins to shrink as you get older. This shrinkage causes the vitreous to pull away from the retina, which may damage the delicate tissue. Your body then attempts to heal the damage, creating scar tissue or macular pucker.

What are the symptoms of macular pucker?

A macular pucker affects the clarity of your vision. However, the severity of the vision changes may depend on the degree of scarring. With a macular pucker, your vision may be blurry or distorted, and you may have difficulty reading or driving. 

How is macular pucker diagnosed?

The team at Retina Associates of New York conducts comprehensive examinations when you come in with concerns about vision changes. During your exam, they evaluate your vision and examine your eye, including your macula, to identify the underlying cause of your vision changes.

A macular hole or edema can also lead to these same type of vision changes, and the vision care experts may be looking for these macular health conditions as well. 

What are the treatments for macular pucker?

Treatment for your macular pucker at Retina Associates of New York depends on how severely the scar tissue is affecting your vision. In most cases, the vision changes aren’t severe enough to require significant intervention, and macular puckers do not significantly worsen with time.

However, if you’re suffering from significant visual changes, the team at Retina Associates of New York may recommend surgery to relieve your symptoms from macular pucker. The surgical procedure is referred to as vitrectomy, or removal of your vitreous humor and peeling of the scar tissue. 

At Retina Associates of New York, our advanced ophthalmology practice has a state-of-the-art surgical center next door to the Manhattan office, where our surgeons perform any necessary procedure with great care. After surgical repair, many patients experience a significant improvement in vision. However, the surgery may not restore your vision to what it was prior to the development of the macular pucker.

For a comprehensive eye exam and macular pucker treatment from an experienced team of ophthalmologists, call Retina Associates of New York or request an appointment online.