Abstract
Purpose :
Although pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) is a well-established surgical treatment for idiopathic epi-retinal membrane (ERM), the changes in retinochoroidal blood flow and morphology has not been fully determined. Thus, the purpose in this study is to determine the changes in those in the different place, such as the macula and the surrounding the optic nerve head (ONH)
Methods :
Twenty-five gauge PPV was performed on 15 eyes of 15 patients with idiopathic ERM (Men; 9 eyes, women; 6 eyes, 72.0 ± 9.1 years). The ONH and choroidal blood flow was assessed by laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) on the macula (degree: 6.31° × 6.31°) and 6 areas where visible retinal vessels were not observed around the ONH using the mean blur rate (MBR) before and at 1, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after the surgery. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography was used to measure the choroidal thickness at the sub-fovea and12 points 2000 µm to the ONH. The fellow eye was used as the control.
Results :
The mean MBR-vessel and -tissue on the ONH were not significantly changed in eyes with idiopathic ERM and the fellow eyes. The choroidal MBR on the macula and sub-foveal thickness were not significantly changed in the both eyes. On the other hand, the mean MBR of the 6 areas around the ONH was significantly decreased at 12 weeks after surgery (P<0.05, ANOVA). In addition, the choroidal thickness in the 12 points surrounding the ONH was significantly reduced at 12 weeks after surgery (P<0.05, ANOVA). There was no significantly correlation between the reduction rate of the choroidal blood flow and the thickness.
Conclusions :
Although there were no significantly differences in the ONH and macular choroidal blood flow and subfoveal thickness, the choroidal blood flow and thickness around the ONH were reduced, indicating that the place in the choroid close to the ONH is relatively influenced by PPV.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2018 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, April 29 - May 3, 2018.