preretinal macular fibrosis (redirected from macular epiretinal membrane)

fibrosis, preretinal macular

Proliferation of glial cells over the surface of the internal limiting membrane of the macular region of the retina. Ophthalmoscopically the retina presents a glinting reflex. The condition may occur after trauma, eye surgery, retinal vascular disease (e.g. branch retinal vein occlusion) and inflammation and with any of the causes of retinitis proliferans and most commonly in elderly patients. Initially the patient is asymptomatic or reports some distortion of vision (metamorphopsia). This stage is often called cellophane maculopathy. As the condition develops, visual acuity diminishes, there is retinal wrinkling and the preretinal membrane becomes denser obscuring some retinal vessels in ophthalmoscopy. Some patients may also develop a macular hole and posterior vitreous detachment. If vision is significantly reduced, the main treatment is by vitreous surgery with removal of the layer of preretinal proliferative tissue. Syn. epiretinal membrane; macular epiretinal membrane; macular pucker; premacular fibrosis; preretinal membrane; preretinal vitreous membrane; surface wrinkling retinopathy. See proliferative retinopathy.