Factors correlated with postoperative visual acuity after vitrectomy and internal limiting membrane peeling for...

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that are correlated with the visual outcomes in patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling for myopic foveoschisis (MF).

In this retrospective, interventional consecutive case series, 39 eyes of 39 consecutive patients who had undergone pars plana vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling for MF were studied. Preoperative optical coherence tomography showed that none of the eyes had a macular hole or vitreoretinal traction. Eyes were divided into those with MF and a foveal detachment (FD; FD group, n = 27) and those with MF without an FD (no-FD group, n = 12). The main outcome measures were best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and the optical coherence tomography findings.

Optical coherence tomography showed a complete resolution of the MF with a reattachment of the fovea in all eyes, and the retina remained attached during the mean follow-up of 41 months. The final mean BCVA improved significantly in the FD group (P = 0.0003) but not in the no-FD group (P = 0.56). The final BCVA of the FD group and no-FD group improved in 70% and 42%, remained unchanged in 26% and 33%, and worsened in 4% and 25% of the eyes, respectively. A better final BCVA was significantly correlated with a better preoperative BCVA (P < 0.0001), a shorter axial length (P = 0.045), and the presence of an FD (P = 0.028).

Pars plana vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling results in long-term favorable anatomical and visual outcomes. Eyes with an FD may be good candidates for surgery.