Epiretinal membrane is a common surgical disease of the elderly. The aetiology, clinical presentation, and diagnosis are briefly described. Management, principally vitrectomy and membrane removal, is then elaborated. Recent advances such as internal limiting membrane peeling are further discussed. The safety and efficacy of intra-ocular dyes, including indocyanine green and trypan blue, as well as the new technique of ‘double staining’, are evaluated.