[Surgical treatment of epiretinal macular fibrosis: the Lausanne experience]

Between 1981 and 1988, vitreous surgery was performed on 28 nondiabetic patients with epiretinal macular fibroplasia. The fibroplasia was idiopathic in 9 eyes, occurred after successful surgery for retinal detachment in 10, and was associated with other ocular disorders in 9. The patients were followed up for between 5 and 72 months. While visual acuity improved in 26 cases, metamorphopsia increased in all. The results were poorer in cases where symptoms had already existed for more than 6 months or where not only the retina, but also the macula was detached. Complications were confined to 3 cases in which peripheral tears occurred intraoperatively; there were 2 postoperative retinal detachments. While increased lens opacification was observed in 7 patients, a recurrence was seen only in one.