What is Pars Plana Vitrectomy for Macular Pucker

The surgical technique used to repair macular pucker is called pars plana vitrectomy. A macular pucker occurs when a wrinkle suddenly develops in the centre of the light-sensitive tissue of the retina. The macula is the centre of the vision, and when it is puckered or wrinkled, there is often blurring of vision, distortion of vision or sometimes discrepancy in the image size between two eyes. This scar tissue can’t heal on its own.

What is a Macular Pucker?

A macular pucker occurs when a wrinkle suddenly develops in the centre of the light-sensitive tissue of the retina. The macula is the centre of the vision, and when it is puckered or wrinkled, there is often blurring of vision, distortion of vision or sometimes discrepancy in the image size between two eyes. This scar tissue can’t heal on its own.

Most often a macular pucker is related to aging, but it can also be caused by a detached retina, uveitis (inflammation of the eye), eye injury or diabetic retinopathy. Macular pucker symptoms include objects looking wavy and trouble seeing details.

To make a diagnosis, your ophthalmologist will do an examination and determine if there’s enough of a macular pucker to justify a referral to a vitreoretinal surgeon. If you see the surgeon, he or she will help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of surgical intervention to remove the macular pucker.

The Pars Plana Vitrectomy Procedure

During pars plana vitrectomy, the vitreoretinal surgeon will use local or general anesthesia, go into the eye remove the vitreous gel, and then use tiny forceps remove the wrinkle that has grown on the surface of the macula during a pars plana vitrectomy.

Following the procedure, your ophthalmologist may prescribe pain medication and/or antibiotics. You should avoid air travel or going to high-altitude places until you’re cleared by your ophthalmologist. You will see your ophthalmologist for follow-up appointments to check your vision and overall eye health.

Talk to your ophthalmologist if you want more information on pars plana vitrectomy for macular pucker.

3 Important Things to Remember

  1. Most macular pucker is related to aging, but can also be caused by a detached retina, uveitis (inflammation of the eye), eye injury or diabetic retinopathy.
  2. Macular pucker symptoms include objects looking wavy, blurred vision and trouble seeing fine details and small print.
  3. Following pars plana vitrectomy, you should avoid air travel or going to high-altitude places until you’re cleared by your ophthalmologist.