Vision with ERM also known as epiretinal membrane will often look like blurred or distorted vision, straight lines that appear wavy or crooked, reduced sharpness of detail and difficulty reading or seeing fine print.
To prevent the epiretinal membrane from getting worse you should regularly have your vision checked out and monitored by an eye doctor ophthalmologist through routine eye exams.
If the epiretinal membrane does start causing any vision problems that are noticeable then a vitrectomy may be needed to remove the epiretinal membrane and possibly restore your vision.
However there are no preventative measures or lifestyle changes to stop epiretinal membrane from forming or getting worse by getting routine eye exams can spot any worsening and if surgery is done soon enough you can sometimes restore your vision.
If epiretinal membrane is left untreated it can cause the epiretinal membrane to gradually get worse over time and cause distortion in your central vision.
As a result of the distortion in your central vision, you will experience where straight lines often appear wavy instead of straight and you will also have blurring of vision which can impact your daily activities like driving, reading etc.
Epiretinal membrane won't often lead to complete blindness if left untreated although it's best to get treatment for it and keep being monitored.
However in most cases if epiretinal membrane is left untreated it won't cause any other problems in your eye other than possible distorted vision and possibly blurry vision.
An epiretinal membrane cannot and does not cause blindness although the epiretinal membrane can impair your central vision.
An epiretinal membrane or ERM is a piece of scar tissue on your retina which can distort your vision and it affects your central vision, which is used for seeing fine details and for looking straight ahead.
With epiretinal membrane or ERM your peripheral vision is not affected and you won't go blind from it.
Most people with epiretinal membrane or ERM don't have any symptoms or have only mild symptoms which don't affect their daily life.
And in moderate to severe cases of ERM or epiretinal membrane it may cause distorted or blurred vision which makes it hard to drive or read.
And surgery is an option to treat epiretinal membrane although it's usually only successful in improving your vision but not restoring your vision to normal.
Eye drops, medications and nutritional supplements are not likely to help with epiretinal membrane and surgery is the most common treatment option.
Epiretinal membrane can be caused by posterior vitreous detachment, previous eye surgery or other eye conditions.
In advanced cases the epiretinal membrane can lead to severely decreased vision and less commonly epiretinal membrane can also be associated with double vision and light sensitivity.
Epiretinal membrane can also develop as a result of age related changes in your vitreous gel, which is the clear substance that fills the inside of your eye.
And as you age the vitreous gel can shrink and pull away from your retina and cause a tear or a detachment.
As a result it can lead to the formation of epiretinal membrane or ERM.
Retinal surgery, diabetic retinopathy and eye inflammation can also cause epiretinal membrane.
Symptoms although not always experienced include blurred or distorted vision, straight lines that appear wavy or crooked, reduced sharpness of detail and difficulty reading or seeing fine print.