Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is one of the major challenges in retinal surgery, which occurs in the patient with complex retinal surgery or penetrating eye injury. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have emerged as important regulators in many biological processes and disease development. However, the characterization and function of circRNAs in PVR remains elusive. In this study, we identified 91 dysregulated circRNAs in the epiretinal membranes (ERMs) of PVR patients. We further investigated the expression pattern of circ_0043144. circ_0043144 was significantly up-regulated in the vitreous samples and the corresponding serum samples of the patients with PVR. circ_0043144 expression was significantly down-regulated after PVR operation. In vitro studies revealed that circ_0043144 was involved in the regulation of the proliferation, migration and secretion ability of ARPE-19 cells, which is critical for ERM formation. Collectively, this study indicates that circRNAs are potential regulators of the pathogenesis of PVR. circ_0043144 is a promising prognostic and diagnostic indicator for PVR diseases.