Idiopathic epiretinal membrane(IERM)is an age-related retinal disease of the macula. In early stages, symptoms of IERM are usually characterized by visual impairment. As the disease progresses, it can lead to metamorphopsia and lower visual acuity in severe cases, the pathogenesis of IERM remains a mystery. Researchers have found that posterior vitreous detachment(PVD), anomalous PVD, activation of the renin-angiotensin system(RAS), and glial to mesenchymal transition(GMT)of Müller cells play important roles in the pathogenesis of IERM. In pathological research of IERM, astrocytes, microglia, Müller cells, hyalocytes, fibroblasts, myofibroblasts, and retinal pigment epithelium(RPE)cells were found to be the major cellular components of IERM, and the extracellular matrix of IERM was mainly composed of extracellular collagen fibers. In this article, we summarize the mechanisms of IERM formation in the light of some of the recent advances in research on the pathogeny, cells, cytokines, and extracellular matrix of IERM, in order to provide directions for its prevention and treatment.