Retrospective Comparison of Visual Prognosis After Vitrectomy for Idiopathic Epiretinal Membranes With and Without an Ectopic Inner Foveal Layer.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To compare the surgical outcomes of epiretinal membrane (ERM) treatment between eyes with and without an ectopic inner foveal layer (EIFL). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy-seven ERM eyes of 76 consecutive patients were investigated retrospectively. Optical coherence tomography examinations and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) measurements were performed before and at 6 and 12 months after vitrectomy. RESULTS: In both eyes with and without an EIFL, the BCVAs at 6 and 12 months after vitrectomy were significantly better than those before vitrectomy (P < .05), whereas the BCVAs 6 and 12 months after vitrectomy were significantly better in eyes without an EIFL than in those with an EIFL (P = .014 and P = .019, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Vitrectomy may be effective in improving visual acuity in eyes with ERMs with and without an EIFL. However, ERM surgery may be desirable before EIFL development to obtain a better prognosis. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2018;49:838-845.].