Do I need to have macular pucker surgery if it is not severe?
SEP 14, 2022
Question:
I have been diagnosed with macular pucker and while it hasn't severely affected my vision, the distortion is somewhat bothersome, particularly when I'm driving.
I'm considering surgery but have concerns that normal vision may never completely return after the procedure. Without clarity on whether my condition will remain stable or continue to deteriorate, it's hard to know if surgery is the right decision. Is there a point where surgery might not be recommended since improvement would be marginal?
Answer:
If you are functioning pretty well and your vision is not progressively getting worse then you can hold off on surgery. If your vision is bothering your quality of life or has shown to be progressively worsening, then you should consider surgery. The decision also depends on your visual acuity and condition of the other eye. If your vision drops below that required for a driver’s license and you want to drive then you should consider surgery. Also note that most people develop cataracts after this type of surgery so you will likely need to have that done some time after the repair of the macular pucker. It is difficult to predict the actual visual outcome—most patients do note a significant improvement of distortion with surgery.