Surgical outcome after removal of idiopathic macular epiretinal membrane in young patients

Abstract

Purpose: To report the clinical features of the eye of young patients with an idiopathic macular epiretinal membrane (ERM), and the visual outcomes after the surgical removal of the ERM.

Methods: A retrospective review of the medical records of eight young patients (age, 23-39 years; mean, 32.5 years) with an idiopathic macular ERM was performed. The patients underwent vitrectomy and removal of the ERM with peeling of the internal limiting membrane (ILM). The pre- and postoperative visual acuity and intra- and postoperative complications were investigated.

Results: Ophthalmoscopically, the ERMs in seven eyes were white, opaque, and dense, while one was grayish-white and less dense. A posterior vitreous detachment was not present and the ERM adhered strongly to the underlying retina in all eight eyes. The mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) preoperatively was 20/140 (Snellen; range: 20/250-20/63), and the BCVA improved significantly to 20/30 (range: 20/40-20/20) postoperatively with an average follow-up of 14.6 months (range: 6-42 months; Wilcoxon sign-rank test, P<0.001). An improvement of >7 lines was observed in seven of eight eyes. A recurrence of an ERM without involving the macula was detected in one eye (12.5%).

Conclusions: The clinical features of the ERMs in young patients are different from those in elderly patients, eg, thicker, more adherent to the retina, and still attached to the vitreous. Vitrectomy and removal of ERM with ILM peeling are effective and safe surgical procedures. Removal of the ILM may minimize the recurrence of an ERM.