Abstract
Purpose
To evaluate changes in visual acuity and optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings after vitrectomy for epiretinal membrane foveoschisis (ERM-FS), and to compare visual and anatomical outcomes among eyes with ERM-FS alone, ERM-FS associated with macular pseudohole (MPH), and ERM-FS associated with lamellar macular hole (LMH).Study design
Retrospective observational study METHODS: This study included eyes with ERM-FS that underwent vitrectomy between April 2020 and November 2023 and were followed for at least 6 months. Eyes with ERM-FS alone were classified as the ERM-FS group, those with concomitant MPH as the ERM-FS+MPH group, and those with concomitant LMH as the ERM-FS+LMH group. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and OCT findings were evaluated before surgery and at 1, 3, and 6 months. OCT assessments included foveoschisis, inner retinal cysts, epiretinal proliferation (EP), and ellipsoid zone (EZ) disruption.Results
Fifty-nine eyes were included. BCVA improved significantly in the overall cohort and in each group. Patients in the ERM-FS+LMH group tended to have poorer visual outcomes than those in the ERM-FS and ERM-FS+MPH groups. Schisis gradually decreased after surgery in all groups. The ERM-FS+LMH group showed a higher prevalence of EP than the other groups and a significantly higher frequency of EZ disruption than the ERM-FS group. In the ERM-FS+LMH group, postoperative BCVA was associated with preoperative EZ disruption. Multivariate analysis identified preoperative BCVA as an independent predictor of postoperative BCVA.Conclusions
Vitrectomy for ERM-FS improved visual acuity and retinal morphology in all groups. However, eyes with concomitant LMH tended to have poorer postoperative visual outcomes.