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Characteristics of spontaneous idiopathic epiretinal membrane separation in spectral domain optical coherence
Hyun S Yang1, Ji W Hong, Yoon J Kim
1Department of Ophthalmology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea.
Purpose:
To investigate the prevalence, characteristics, and visual acuity of spontaneous idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) separations using spectral domain optical coherence tomography.
Methods:
In a series of 1,248 consecutive eyes with idiopathic ERM, Group I with preexisting posterior vitreous detachment included 1,091 eyes (87.4%) and Group II without preexisting posterior vitreous detachment included 157 eyes (12.6%). Groups IA and IIA included self-resolution cases of ERM from Groups I and II, respectively.
Results:
The ERM self-separation occurred in 37 eyes (3.0%) for 32.6 ± 11.7 months, with 16 eyes (1.5%) in Group IA and 21 eyes (13.4%) in Group IIA. The mean best-corrected visual acuity (logMAR) improved in Groups IA and IIA by 0.1 (P = 0.013) and 0.06 (P = 0.078), respectively. From tomographic analyses, dominant undulation and retinal nerve fiber layer defects were more frequent in Group IA than Group IIA (P < 0.001 and P = 0.024, respectively). However, the completeness of ERM separation, inner segment/outer segment junction defects, and ERM recurrence were more frequent in Group IIA than Group IA (P = 0.039, P = 0.023 and P = 0.041, respectively). Multivariate analysis for factors related to visual improvement revealed only inner segment/outer segment junction defects as significantly associated (P = 0.025).
Conclusion:
Different mechanisms underlying the self-resolution of idiopathic ERM lead to distinct tomographic characteristics and may affect the postseparation visual function.
