New Postoperative Intraretinal Cystoid Changes After Vitrectomy With Membrane Peeling Due to Epiretinal Membranes

Overview

Epiretinal membranes (ERM) are a macular disorder leading to metamorphopsia and a decrease in visual acuity. Peeling of ERM during vitrectomy is, up to date, the only possible treatment option, opening chances for improvements of visual acuity and metamorphopsia. Occurrence of new intraretinal cystoid changes was described to be associated with a lower level of visual acuity after surgery, compared to patients, that never had intraretinal cystoid changes Aim of our study was to analyze development of new intraretinal cystoid changes after vitrectomy with membrane peeling with respect to postsurgical treatment strategies.

Epiretinal membranes (ERM) are a macular disorder leading to metamorphopsia and a decrease in visual acuity. While ERM are rare among young people, they have prevalence rates of up to 30% in the age groups of 70 years or older. Peeling of ERM during vitrectomy is, up to date, the only possible treatment option, opening chances for improvements of visual acuity and metamorphopsia. Nevertheless, there is a risk for development of new intraretinal cystoid changes after peeling of ERM in about 10% of patients. Preoperative presence of intraretinal cystoid changes was already described as a risk factor for postsurgical presence of intraretinal cystoid changes and and occurrence of new intraretinal cystoid changes was described to be associated with a lower level of visual acuity after surgery, compared to patients, that never had intraretinal cystoid changes. Biomarker in presurgical optical coherence tomography (OCT) have been described to be associated with postsurgical results. Using a multivariable approach of analysis, presurgical DRIL and higher central macular thickness (CMT) were significant negative predictors on postsurgical visual acuity three months after surgery. However, influence of preoperative OCT biomarkers on development of new postsurgical intraretinal cystoid changes was not examined in theses studies. Aim of our study was to analyze development of new intraretinal cystoid changes after vitrectomy with membrane peeling with respect to postsurgical treatment strategies.

Conditions