What is an ERM in the eye?
What is an ERM in the eye?
Epiretinal membrane (ERM) is a condition where a sheet of naturally occurring cells develops on or above the surface of the central part of your retina, an area called the macula.
What is ERM disease?
Macular Pucker, also known as an Epiretinal Membrane (ERM) is an eye condition that affects the macula, the sweet spot of center vision. The back of your eye is lined by the retina, the light seeing layer in the back of the eye.
How is ERM diagnosed?
Diagnosis of an ERM requires a dilated eye exam that permits close examination of the retina as well as an imaging study called an OCT (ocular coherence tomography) that uses light waves to take cross-section pictures of the retina.
How common is ERM?
Epiretinal membranes (ERMs) most often occur in people over age 50. According to The American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS), at least 2 percent of people over 50 years old and 20 percent over age 75 have ERMs, but most do not need treatment.
How successful is ERM surgery?
Purpose: Surgery has been successful in removing epiretinal membranes (ERM) from the macula, allowing some improvement in vision in 80-90% of patients; however, complications are relatively frequent.
What causes ERM?
The cause of ERMs is due to a defect in the surface layer of the retina where a type of cell, called glial cells, can migrate through and start to grow in a membranous sheet on the retinal surface.
How is ERM treated?
There are no eye drops or medication for ERM. The only treatment is a surgical procedure called a vitrectomy. With significant symptoms, surgery may be decided upon to improve poor vision. Surgery is not necessary if the ERM is mild and has little or no effect on vision.
What are the risk factors for ERM in the primary eye?
Etiology and Risk Factors. Other risk factors include age, posterior vitreous detachment, and history of ERM in the fellow eye. The mean age of ERM diagnosis is 65 years old. The incidence of developing an ERM in the primary eye is 1.1% per year. The incidence of developing an ERM in the fellow eye is 2.7% per year.
Is there a risk of cataract after ERM surgery?
Vitrectomy surgery is not without risks. ERM surgery increases the risk for cataract, an eye disorder that causes clouding in the lens of the eye. In general, however, the risk associated with ERM surgery is small. In fact, according to the ASRS, about 1 in 100 people develop retinal detachment, and 1 in 2,000 develop a post-surgical infection.
When to see a doctor for ERM vision loss?
ERM vision loss starts out unnoticeable and becomes increasingly severe. A person should report any of the following symptoms to their doctor or an eye specialist: Decreased vision or loss of central vision. Central vision allows the eyes to see ahead to read or drive or see fine details.
Are there any eye drops or supplements for Erms?
There are no eye drops, medications or nutritional supplements to treat ERMs. A surgical procedure called vitrectomy is the only option in eyes that require treatment. With vitrectomy, small incisions are placed in the white part of the eye, and the vitreous gel filling the inside of the eye is replaced with saline.