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. 2015 Apr;122(4):787-95.
doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2014.10.014. Epub 2014 Dec 31.

The epidemiology of vitreoretinal interface abnormalities as detected by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography: the beaver dam eye study

Stacy M Meuer  1 , Chelsea E Myers  1 , Barbara E K Klein  1 , Maria K Swift  1 , Yijun Huang  1 , Sapna Gangaputra  1 , Jeong W Pak  1 , Ronald P Danis  1 , Ronald Klein  2
Affiliations

The epidemiology of vitreoretinal interface abnormalities as detected by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography: the beaver dam eye study

Stacy M Meuer et al. Ophthalmology. 2015 Apr.

Abstract

Purpose: To describe the prevalence and interrelationships of epiretinal membranes (ERMs), vitreomacular traction (VMT), macular cysts, paravascular cysts (PVCs), lamellar macular holes (LMHs), full-thickness macular holes (FTMHs), and visual impairment in a population-based study of older adults.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Participants: There were 1913 participants aged 63 to 102 years at the 20-year Beaver Dam Eye Study follow-up examination in 2008-2010, of whom 1540 (2980 eyes) had gradable spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT) scans of the macula in at least 1 eye.

Methods: The presence of ERMs and other retinal lesions was determined by standardized grading of macular SD OCT scans and photographs of 3 standard fields.

Main outcome measures: Epiretinal membranes, VMT, macular cysts, PVCs, LMHs, FTMHs, and visual impairment.

Results: By using SD OCT, the prevalence of ERMs (34.1%), VMT (1.6%), macular cysts (5.6%), PVCs (20.0%), LMHs (3.6%), and FTMHs (0.4%) was estimated. The prevalence of macular cysts (P < 0.001), ERMs (P < 0.001), and VMT (P = 0.005) increased with age; the prevalence of PVCs (P = 0.05) decreased with age; and the prevalence of LMHs was not associated with age (P = 0.70). The prevalence of macular cysts, LMHs, and ERMs was higher in eyes with a history of cataract surgery. Macular cysts and ERMs were more common in eyes with retinal diseases, such as proliferative diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, and retinal detachment, than in eyes without these conditions. Macular cysts, ERMs, and FTMHs were associated with visual impairment. While adjusting for age and sex, macular cysts (odds ratio [OR], 3.96; P < 0.0001), PVCs (OR, 1.45, P = 0.007), LMHs (OR, 10.62; P < 0.001), VMT (OR, 2.72, P = 0.01), and visual impairment (OR, 3.23; P < 0.001) were more frequent in eyes with ERMs compared with eyes without ERMs.

Conclusions: Epiretinal membranes are associated with macular cysts, PVCs, LMHs, VMT, and visual impairment. Further follow-up will allow better understanding of the natural history of ERMs and VMT and their relationships to the development of macular cysts and LMHs in the aging population.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None of the authors has any conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Example of a B-scan with an epiretinal membrane consisting of corrugation of the retinal surface (A) with bridging of the membrane (B) across the top of the corrugation. A cluster of cysts (C) is visible in the outer retinal layers.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Example of paravascular cysts adjacent to a retinal blood vessel in the inner layers of the retina.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Examples of different cyst shapes. Singular or isolated cysts tend to be circular (A) and clustered cysts are irregular and often angular in shape (B).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Example of a full thickness macular hole.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Example of a lamellar macular hole.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

References

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