Characteristics and Limitations of Intraoperative OCT Supported Membrane Peeling in Macular Diseases

Overview

During the last decade optical coherence tomography (OCT) extended the possibilities for in vivo macula diagnostic and was increasingly used for pre- and post-operative imaging of retinal diseases. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) with its increased scanning speed and image-resolution provides more detailed information of microstructures in the macula. Epiretinal membrane (ERM), lamellar macular hole, macular hole and vitreomacular traction syndrome are disorders involving the posterior pole of the eyeball with consecutive vision loss. In patients with loss of vision and metamorphopsia disturbing their lifestyle, vitrectomy and membrane peeling is usually performed to remove traction and the ERM. Different study groups showed that intraoperative use of SD-OCT is possible and improves the quality of peeling surgery.

The aim of the study is to assess the benefits and limits of intraoperative OCT (i-OCT), for example whether I-OCT assisted membrane peeling is possible without use of dyes for enabling better localistion of the ERM during surgery and to compare that scheme with different "gold standard" dyes for peeling such as membrane blue dual and triamcinolone. Rationale for that study is to work out which setting enables best visualisation of ERM and ILM (ILM) in i-OCT. A limitation of that method seems to be visualisation of the inner limiting membrane, so that dying of the ILM will probably be still necessary in all cases where ILM-peeling is sheduled.

Conditions