Pseudophakic cystoid macular edema associated with extrafoveal vitreoretinal traction

To describe an association between extrafoveal vitreoretinal traction and intractable chronic pseudophakic cystoid macular edema (CME) by the use of optical coherence tomography (OCT).

In a retrospective case series study, charts and OCT findings of patients who had postoperative recalcitrant pseudophakic CME for at least 6 months and vitreoretinal traction membranes were analyzed. Excluded were eyes that either had another vitreoretinopathy that could affect the analysis or had undergone an intravitreal intervention.

Three eyes (three patients) with macular edema following uneventful cataract surgery were detected to be associated with multifocal extrafoveal vitreoretinal traction sites in each. Retinal edema that was underlying each of the traction sites in all eyes was in continuum in at least one site per eye with the central macular edema, thus manifesting as diffuse macular edema.

Chronic pseudophakic macular edema may be related to extrafoveal vitreoretinal traction.