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Long-Term Changes in Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness after Vitrectomy for Epiretinal Membrane Using Optical
Ki Woong Bae1,2,3, Dong Ik Kim1,4, Daniel Duck-Jin Hwang1,4
1Department of Ophthalmology, Hangil Eye Hospital, Incheon 21388, Republic of Korea.
Life (Basel, Switzerland)
|September 28, 2023
Summary
Epiretinal membrane (ERM) surgery improves vision but leads to long-term thinning of the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in global and temporal areas. Nasal RNFL thickness remained stable post-surgery.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Retinal Surgery
- Optical Coherence Tomography
Background:
- Epiretinal membrane (ERM) is an increasingly common condition affecting vision.
- Surgical intervention, such as vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling, is standard for ERM removal.
- Long-term structural changes in the retina post-ERM surgery require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the long-term effects of epiretinal membrane (ERM) surgery on peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness.
- To assess changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) over a 5-year follow-up period.
- To compare RNFL thickness between operated and fellow eyes post-ERM surgery.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 30 patients undergoing vitrectomy for idiopathic ERM.
- Long-term follow-up of 5 years with optical coherence tomography (OCT) for RNFL thickness measurements.
- Review of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and OCT parameters.
Main Results:
- Significant BCVA improvement from baseline (0.28 logMAR) to 1 year (0.12 logMAR) and sustained over 5 years.
- Initial increase in peripapillary RNFL thickness post-surgery, followed by a gradual decrease.
- Significant reduction in global and temporal RNFL thickness by 2 years, with no significant change in nasal sectors.
- Operated eyes showed thinner global and temporal RNFL compared to fellow eyes at 4 and 5 years post-surgery.
Conclusions:
- ERM surgery leads to a long-term decrease in peripapillary RNFL thickness in global and temporal sectors.
- Nasal RNFL thickness remains relatively stable in the long term after ERM surgery.
- While vision improves, structural RNFL changes occur in operated eyes following ERM surgery.
