2Kocaeli Üniversitesi, Tıp Fakültesi, Göz Hastalıkları AD., Kocaeli Prof. Dr. Purpose: To determine the etiology and outcomes of the vitreoretinal surgery in epiretinal membranes.
Materials and Methods: 65 patients with epiretinal membrane operated between January 2002 and August 2004 were evaluated retrospectively. Etiologies were determined. Preoperative and postoperative visual acuities, biomicroscopic and fundus examinations, and fundus fluorescein angiographies of the patients were analyzed.
Results: 30 patients (46.2%) had primary idiopathic epiretinal membranes (Group 1). 35 patients (53.8%) had epiretinal membranes following previous vitreoretinal surgery (Group 2). In group 2, 21 patients (60%) had vitreoretinal surgery because of complications of diabetic retinopathy, 1 patient (2.8%) endophthalmitis after cataract surgery, 2 patients uveitis (5.7%), 5 patients retinal detachment (14.2%), 3 patients (8.6%) trauma, 3 patients (8.6%) patients vitreous hemorrhage because of retinal vein occlusion. 1 line or more increase in visual acuity was obtained in %75.38 patients. The increase in visual acuity was in 90% of patients in group 1 and in 62.8% of patients in group 2. ICG was used in surgery of 14 patients (46.7%) in idiopathic epiretinal membrane group. Visual acuity increased in 12 patients (85.7%) that ICG was used, and 15 patients (93.7%) that ICG was not used. Postoperative rhegmatogenous retinal detachment was observed in 2 patients (3%).
Conclusion: Vitreoretinal surgery for epiretinal membrane removal results significant increase in visual acuity.
Keywords : Epiretinal membrane, etiology, vitrectomy outcomes