Abstract
Purpose :
To assess the visual outcomes of combined phacoemulsification and vitrectomy versus vitrectomy followed by phacoemulsification for patients with epiretinal membranes.
Methods :
A single-center, retrospective chart review of 33 phakic patients who underwent combined phacovitrectomy (COM group) or sequential vitrectomy and phacoemulsification (SEQ group) by a single vitreoretinal surgeon and a total of 6 anterior segment surgeons. Patients were included if they had visually significant ERM and cataracts and excluded if they had other concomitant ocular disease except for mild to moderate correctable refractive errors. Outcome measures included postoperative change in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) from pre-op BCVA, time to best final BCVA, optical coherence tomography central subfield thickness (CST), and ocular complications.
Results :
25 eyes in the COM group and 8 eyes in the SEQ group were followed a mean of 30 months. The post-operative changes in BCVA and CST between the groups were not statistically significant. 14 of 25 eyes in the COM group achieved a BCVA of 20/30 or better by post-phacovitrectomy month 3 that was sustained through follow up. All 8 eyes in the SEQ group achieved peak vision one month after vitrectomy but had vision decline secondary to cataract development. Average time to phacoemulsification in this group was 9.5 months and 7 of 8 eyes achieved > 20/30 by post-phacoemulsification week 1.
Conclusions :
Combined phacovitrectomy for patients with visually significant ERM and cataracts achieves similar results to sequential surgery while providing a more rapid achievement of final BCVA.
This abstract was presented at the 2022 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Denver, CO, May 1-4, 2022, and virtually.