Advances in the treatment of idiopathic macular epiretinal membrane

Idiopathic epiretinal membrane (iERM) is one of common fibroblast proliferative diseases in vitreoretinal interface and is significantly associated with aging.The treatment and management methods of iERM are limited, primarily including clinical following-up and vitrectomy.The time point of irreversible functional and structural damage of retina in macula is difficult to identify.Therefore, we can not predict whether surgery is safe when the symptoms of early iERM are mild, or whether surgical treatment should be postponed until metamorphopsia and vision loss occur.The formation of iERM is a process of retinal surface fibrosis, and fibrosis is a very common process in human body.Many studies on fibrosis have got a growing concern, which is helpful for us to find new treatment approch and also provides more clues of the causes of iERM.The research progress in the treatment of iERM was reviewed.