Vitreomacular traction (VMT) occurs when a strand of the vitreous gel that fills the cavity of the eye pulls on the macula. The macula contains the light-sensing cells inside the back of the eye. The vitreous pulling can cause distortion of the macula.
OCT image showing VMT.
Normal OCT.
What are the symptoms of vitreomacular traction?
Distortion of the macula can cause visual distortion and blurred vision. The severity of symptoms varies widely.
Do I need surgery?
Mild VMT can be observed. Symptomatic cases, or those that might progress to cause a macular hole, may require an eye injection of ocriplasmin, a drug designed to release VMT, or more commonly, eye surgery to release the pulling.
Further information is available in the patient information leaflet.