The Clinical Course of Patients with Idiopathic Epiretinal Membranes and Good Visual Acuity Managed Without Surgery

Figures & data

Table 1 Comparison of the Baseline and Final Best-Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA) and Central Macular Thickness (CMT) After At Least 1 Year of Follow-Up for Eyes with Idiopathic Epiretinal Membranes (iERMs): Group I (VA ≥ 20/30) and Group II (VA 20/40 – 20/50)

Best-Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA) [logMAR (Mean ± SD) and Snellen Equivalent]	Group I [Baseline BCVA ≥ 20/30] (n=136)				Group II [Baseline BCVA 20/40 – 20/50] (n=38)
	Typical ERM (108)		Lamellar Macular Hole (28)		Typical ERM (31)		Lamellar Macular Hole (7)
		p-Value		p-Value		p-Value		p-Value
Baseline BCVA	0.09 ± 0.1 (20/25)	0.22	0.10 ± 0.07 (20/25)	0.08	0.3 ± 0.05 (20/44)	0.31	0.3 ± 0.04 (20/43)	0.79
Final BCVA	0.10 ± 0.1 (20/25)		0.2 ± 0.1* (20/28)		0.4 ± 0.2 (20/45)		0.3 ± 0.1 (20/44)
Central Macular Thickness (CMT in µm)** (Mean ± SD)
Baseline CMT	335 ± 73	0.47	345 ± 73	0.94	386 ± 95	0.84	350 ± 103	0.75
Final visit CMT	342 ± 78		344 ± 71		391 ± 93		339 ± 92
Follow-Up (months)	17.1 ± 5.1	-	18.2 ± 4.7	0.90	16.4 ± 4.2	-	18.1 ± 5.7	0.84

Notes: *Cataract surgery or YAG laser capsulotomy (14 eyes in Group I and 3 eyes in Group II) and cataract progression or posterior capsular opacity (17 eyes in Group I and 7 eyes in Group II); **CMT by SD-OCT; statistical analysis by Student’s t-test.

Table 2 Changes in the Recorded Visual Acuity and Central Macular Thickness (CMT) in Eyes with Idiopathic Epiretinal Membranes (iERMs) After At Least 1 Year of Follow-Up: Group I (BCVA ≥ 20/30) and Group II (BCVA 20/40 – 20/50)

ERM Classification	Group I [Baseline BCVA ≥ 20/30] (n=136)		Group II [Baseline BCVA 20/40 – 20/50] (n=38)
	Typical ERM (108) [%]	Lamellar Macular Hole (28) [%]	Typical ERM (31) [%]	Lamellar Macular Hole (7) [%]
Visual Acuity^§ Change From Baseline
Improved (>2 lines)	10 [9.2]	1 [3.6]	5 [16.1]	0
Stable (±1 line)	89 [82.4]	21 [75.0]	22 [70.9]	6 [85.7]
Worsened (>2 lines)	9 [8.3]	6 [21.4]	4 [12.1]	1 [14.3]
Central Macular Thickness (CMT in µm)*Change From Baseline
Improved (<30 µm)	7 [6.4]	5 [17.8]	4 [12.9]	1 [14.3]
Stable (±30 µm)	85 [78.7]	23 [82.1]	18 [58.1]	6[85.7]
Worsened (>30 µm)	16 [14.8]	0	9 [29.0]	0

Notes: ^§Visual acuity as recorded in the medical record; *CMT by SD-OCT; P values of the VA changes between Groups I and II (Typical ERM, p = 0.39; LMH, p = 0.44) and CMT changes between Groups I and II (Typical ERM, p = 0.17; LMH, p = 0.75) by Kruskal–Wallis test.

Figure 1 This 70-year-old male patient demonstrates a typical idiopathic epiretinal membrane with central macular involvement and minimal retinal thickening. The initial best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/30 and the final BCVA was 20/30. (A) Fundus photograph; (B) baseline OCT image, horizontal cut; (C) final OCT image with wrinkles after 15 months of follow-up.

Figure 2 This 58-year-old male demonstrates a typical idiopathic epiretinal membrane with macular involvement and prominent macular thickening. The initial best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/40 and the final BCVA was 20/20 after cataract surgery. (A) Fundus photograph; (B) baseline OCT image, horizontal cut; (C) OCT image after 24 months of follow-up.

Figure 3 This 62-year-old woman demonstrates a lamellar macular hole. The baseline best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/40 and the final BCVA was also 20/40. (A) Fundus photograph; (B) baseline OCT image; (C) OCT image after 24 months follow-up.