Abstract
Purpose :
To prospectively assess the postoperative course of oxygen saturation of retinal vessels and choroidal thickness and the effect on morphological and functional outcomes in patients with epiretinal membrane.
Methods :
32 eyes were included in this prospective analysis. All patients (15 female, 17 male) received vitrectomy and dye assisted membrane plus internal limitans membrane peeling. Additional cataract surgery was performed in 14 patients. Follow up visits were scheduled at day 1, week 1, month 1 and month 3. At each visit, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) using ETDRS charts (except at day 1), oxygenation of retinal vessels using Oxymap T1 and a high resolution OCT (Topcon Triton) were performed.
Results :
Mean (±standard deviation) age of patients was 71±7 years. Mean baseline BCVA was 73±11 letters. After 3 months BCVA was 77±7 letters (p=0.09). Mean central retinal thickness (CRT) decreased from 456±84 μm at baseline to 418±58 μm after 3 months (p=0.04). In the cataract surgery group CRT was higher at month 3 than in the group without ( 400µm vs. 441µm; p<0.05). Choroidal volume of the central mm didn’t change significantly during the study period (baseline: 0,203 mm3, month 3: 0,205mm3; p=0.8), and no difference between the study and the fellow eye could be detected at any timepiont during the first three months after vitrectomy (p>0.05). Oxygenation of retinal arteries tended to decrease at day 1 followed by an increase, but the changes didn’t reach the level of significance (p>0.05). Oxygenation of retinal veins tended to increase but the change was not significant (p>0.05). Oxygen extraction measured as oxygen saturation of the artery minus oxygen saturation of the corresponding vein was significantly reduced at day 1 (p<0.05).
Conclusions :
Eyes without additional cataract surgery showed faster morphological rehabilitation. Oxygen saturation of retinal vessels and choroidal thickness did not seem to affect the surgical outcomes.
This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.