EPIRETINAL MEMBRANE WITH FOVEAL HERNIATION: Visual and Surgical Outcomes

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Retinal Diseases
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Foveal herniation involves neuroretinal tissue protruding above an epiretinal membrane.
• Understanding its visual and anatomical impact is crucial for patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe visual symptoms and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) findings in foveal herniation.
• To evaluate postoperative visual, anatomical, and surgical outcomes following epiretinal membrane peeling.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 59 patients with epiretinal membrane and preoperative foveal herniation on SD-OCT.
• Collected data on visual acuity, retinal thickness, macular volume, and herniation size.
• Statistical analysis of preoperative and postoperative outcomes.

Main Results:

• 58 patients underwent epiretinal membrane peeling; 53.5% achieved restored foveal contour.
• Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved from 20/80 to 20/40 (P < 0.0001).
• Central retinal thickness and macular volume significantly decreased postoperatively (P < 0.0001).
• Larger herniation height correlated with worse BCVA and increased intraretinal abnormalities.

Conclusions:

• Surgical epiretinal membrane peeling significantly improves BCVA and reduces microstructural abnormalities in patients with foveal herniation.
• Preoperative herniation characteristics predict visual and anatomical outcomes.