Evaluation of the Effects of Vitrectomy with Primary Epiretinal Membrane Peel on Optical Quality Using Double-Pass Aberrometry

Abstract

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> We performed a prospective, single-center, cohort study in order to evaluate the effects of vitrectomy with epiretinal membrane (ERM) peel on optical quality in patients with primary ERM. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Thirty patients treated for primary ERM by vitrectomy with ERM peel were included from our tertiary university hospital ophthalmology department. The main study outcome was a variation in optical quality parameters measured using the HD Analyzer™ between preoperative and 2-month postoperative evaluations in operated eyes. Optical quality parameters comprised point spread function (PSF) width at 10% and 50%, objective scatter index (OSI), and modulation transfer function (MTF) cutoff. Contralateral non-operated eyes were used as an internal control for measurement reproducibility. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Mean PSF width at 10% (42.22 vs. 27.37 arc/min; <i>p</i> = 0.0002) and mean OSI (3.32 vs. 2.32; <i>p</i> = 0.0003) were significantly improved between pre- versus postoperative evaluations. Mean PSF width at 50% and mean MTF cutoff showed no changes. Subgroup analysis according to crystalline lens status gave similar results, demonstrating that improvements in mean PSF width at 10% and OSI were not lens-related. Non-operated eyes showed no changes in any of the parameters analyzed. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Reduced light scattering measured by OSI indicates improved optical quality following vitrectomy with ERM peel among patients with primary ERM. OSI measurement could thus be a new parameter of interest in the preoperative assessment of primary ERM and other pre-vitrectomy assessments.