Relationship of Epiretinal Membrane Formation and Macular Edema Development in a Large Cohort of Uveitic Eyes

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To identify the temporal relationship and clinical characteristics of epiretinal membrane (ERM) and macular edema (ME) formation in uveitic eyes.

Methods: A total of 269 subjects (444 uveitic eyes) met study inclusion criteria. Comprehensive ophthalmic examination, spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), and clinical testing were carried out.

Results: Of the 444 uveitic eyes, 229 eyes (51.6%) developed an ERM, whereas 87 eyes (19.1%) developed ME. The odds ratios (ORs) of systemic disease causing uveitis and resulting in ERM and ME were significantly higher in posterior uveitis (OR 6.56, 95% CI 2.98–14.46; p < .0001) and panuveitis (OR 10.09, 95% CI 4.05–25.15; p < .0001). Temporal analysis revealed that an ERM was noted concurrently or prior to ME development in 93.8% of eyes.

Conclusions: ERM and ME are primarily observed in posterior uveitis and panuveitis associated with systemic diseases. The temporal relationship highlights the importance of characterization of ERM as it relates to the development of uveitic ME.

KEYWORDS:

• Epiretinal membrane
• macular edema
• ocular inflammation
• spectral domain-optical coherence tomography
• uveitis

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by an unrestricted grant to the department of ophthalmology from Research to Prevent Blindness. Debarshi Mustafi is a James L. Kinyoun, MD, Endowed Retina Fellow at the University of Washington and is also supported as a fellow of the Heed Ophthalmic Foundation. The authors have no financial disclosures.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.