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Purpose: To evaluate the ectopic inner foveal layer (EIFL) staging scheme as a visual prognostic factor for patients undergoing epiretinal membrane (ERM) surgery., Methods: Retrospective study of 88 pseudophakic patients with diagnosis of idiopathic ERM who underwent ERM surgery with a minimum follow-up of 12 months. Preoperative and postoperative EIFL staging was correlated with the final best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). As a secondary outcome, evaluation of the proportion of patients achieving final best-corrected visual acuity ≥20/40 in each stage was assessed., Results: Based on the EIFL staging scheme, of 88 pseudophakic eyes analyzed, 24 (27.4%) were diagnosed as Stage 2 ERM, 45 (51.1%) as Stage 3 ERM, and 19 (21.5%) as Stage 4 ERM preoperatively. At the final follow-up visit, 70.8% of eyes with Stage 2 showed an improvement in EIFL staging scheme, while 68% of eyes in Stage 3 and 4 remained the same. The final best-corrected visual acuity significantly improved with all EIFL stages (P = <0.05). However, earlier stages were associated with better visual outcomes both preoperatively and postoperatively (Stage 2 > Stage 3 > Stage 4 P < 0.001). Final best-corrected visual acuity ≥20/40 was reached in 91.7% of eyes with Stage 2, 42.3% with Stage 3, and 5.2% with Stage 4., Conclusion: The EIFL staging scheme is an easy, fast, and reproducible method to evaluate visual prognosis with ERM surgery. Surgery on Stage 2 ERM results in significantly better visual outcomes and a greater chance of reversibility in anatomical changes.

To study and classify epiretinal membranes (ERMs) based on spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) findings. One hundred and twelve patients with ERMs were examined clinically and underwent OCT examination. The anatomical structure of the macula and vitreoretinal interface was studied. ERMs were classified in two categories: A, with posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) (91 cases), and B, with the absence of PVD (21 cases). Category A was divided into two subcategories: A1, without contraction of the ERM (37 cases), and A2, with the presence of membrane contraction (54 cases). A2 was further subdivided into A2.1, with retinal folding (15 cases), A2.2, with edema (23 cases), A2.3, with cystoid macular edema (9 cases), and A2.4, with lamellar macular hole (7 cases). Category B was divided in two subcategories: B1, without vitreomacular traction (VMT) (4 cases), and B2, with the presence of VMT (17 cases). Category B2 was subdivided into B2.1, with edema (9 cases), B2.2, presenting retinal detachment (5 cases), and B2.3, with schisis (3 cases). OCT classification of ERMs provides useful information on the anatomical structure of the retina, and the accurate estimation of vitreoretinal interface.

Idiopathic epiretinal membrane is a result of a complex biomechanical interaction of the retina and vitreous. This paper discusses classification problems, epidemiological data of multicenter studies, and current hypotheses of epiretinal membrane pathogenesis.

Purpose: To evaluate the functional changes in various morphologic types of idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) by multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT)., Methods: All patients (n = 71) with unilateral idiopathic ERM underwent complete ophthalmologic examination, including measurements of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), SD-OCT, and mfERG for both eyes. To classify idiopathic ERM by subtype, the morphologic characteristics of the foveal area on representative scanned images were assessed. The five subtypes by foveal SD-OCT morphology included fovea-attached ERM with outer retinal thickening and minimal inner retinal change (Group 1A), outer retinal inward projection and inner retinal thickening (Group 1B), and prominent thickening of inner retinal layer (Group 1C) and foveal sparing ERM with formation of macular pseudohole (Group 2A) and with schisislike, intraretinal splitting (Group 2B)., Results: On mfERG, P1 amplitude density in the central ring (R1) and inter-eye (affected eye/fellow eye) response ratio of P1 amplitude density in R1 differed significantly among five groups (P = 0.032 and P = 0.022, respectively). In Group 1 patients, central subfield thickness (CST) and inner retinal layer thickness (IRT) on SD-OCT were strongly correlated with BCVA and P1 amplitude density in R1. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that IRT had high predictive accuracy in distinguishing Groups 1A and 1B (area under the ROC curve [AUROC] = 0.966) and Groups 1B and 1C (AUROC = 1.000)., Conclusions: Multifocal electroretinography can be used to investigate the pathophysiology of ERM and to evaluate the degree of functional demise in the fovea on SD-OCT.

Purpose: To describe the prevalence of and risk factors for epiretinal membrane (ERM) in a multi-ethnic population and to evaluate possible racial or ethnic differences., Design: Cross-sectional study., Participants: Participants of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), examined at the second visit of the MESA when retinal photography was performed., Methods: Data on 5960 participants aged 45 to 84 years from MESA, including white, black, Hispanic, and Chinese persons from 6 United States communities, were analyzed. Epiretinal membrane was assessed from digital nonstereoscopic fundus photographs and was defined as cellophane macular reflex (CMR) without retinal folds or preretinal macular fibrosis (PMF) with retinal folds. Risk factors were assessed from standardized interviews, clinical examinations, and laboratory investigations., Main Outcome Measures: Epiretinal membrane prevalence by ethnic or racial group and risk factors associated with ERM., Results: The prevalence of any ERM was 28.9%, of which 25.1% were CMR cases and 3.8% were PMF cases. The prevalence of ERM was significantly higher in Chinese persons (39.0%), compared with Hispanic (29.3%), white (27.5%), or black (26.2%; P<0.001) persons. In multivariate models, increasing age (odds ratio [OR], 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-1.34, per year increase in age), diabetes (OR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.39-2.65), and hypercholesterolemia (OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.04-1.69) were significantly associated with CMR., Conclusions: This study showed that ERM was significantly more common in Chinese persons compared with whites, blacks, and Hispanics. Risk factors for ERM were increasing age, presence of diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia., (Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate images taken with OTI-OPKO Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT; OTI-OPKO Health Inc, Miami, FL)/scanning laser ophthalmoscope (resolution of 5-8 microm) and compare them with conventional StratusOCT (Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc, Dublin, CA) in eyes with epiretinal membranes (ERMs), macular edema, and vitreoretinal interface abnormalities., Methods: We evaluated 79 consecutive eyes with retinal pathologies using Spectral OCT/scanning laser ophthalmoscope and StratusOCT at the Jacobs Retina Center, University of California San Diego, CA. Pathologies included ERM, macular edema, and vitreomacular traction. Two masked reviewers graded the pathologic findings on the basis of visibility (scale 0-III). A quantitative continuous scale grading system was also used., Results: Statistical analysis showed significant differences in ERM visibility between the spectral OCT/scanning laser ophthalmoscope and StratusOCT (P < 0.0001; signed-rank test). Furthermore, posterior hyaloid visibility was significantly different (P < 0.0001) as was the macular edema grading (P < 0.0001). The Gaussian noise grading system was performed for a smaller subset of 40 eyes and it gave the same results. Spectral OCT was particularly useful in the diagnosis of subtle ERM, minimal diffuse macular edema, and morphology of macular cystic spaces, posterior vitreous detachment, and attachments of the posterior hyaloid., Conclusion: The Spectral OTI-OPKO instrument allows significantly better visualization of vitreoretinal surface diseases like ERM, posterior hyaloid, and retinal edema than StratusOCT. High-speed Spectral OCT/scanning laser ophthalmoscope allows rapid image acquisition, higher number of cuts, and better sampling yielding superior imaging of retinal pathology.

Purpose: To determine age- and gender-specific prevalence and associations of epiretinal membranes (ERMs) in adult Latinos., Methods: The Los Angeles Latino Eye Study (LALES) is a population-based study of eye disease among Latinos aged 40 or more years. Complete ophthalmic examinations included stereoscopic fundus photography. Masked photographic grading was used to identify and classify ERMs as cellophane macular reflex (CMR) without retinal folds or preretinal macular fibrosis (PMF) with folds., Results: Of the 6142 persons examined at the clinic, 5982 (97%) had gradable retinal photographs. The mean age of the participants was 54.7 +/- 10.7 years; 58% were women. ERMs were present in 18.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 17.5%-19.5%) of the participants. Of the participants with ERMs, 19.9% had bilateral ERMs. The prevalence of ERMs increased from 10.1% in persons 40 to 49 years of age to 35.7% in those aged 70 to 79 years and was 22.5% in persons aged 80 years or more. The prevalence was similar in men and women. CMR was present in 16.3% (95% CI: 15.3%-17.2%) and PMF in 2.2% (95% CI: 1.9%-2.6%). Retinal folds involved the fovea in 11% of PMF cases. On average, eyes with central PMF had poorer visual acuity than did eyes without (P < 0.0002). Epiretinal membranes (ERMs) were present in 71% of eyes with macular holes. ERMs were also more common in individuals who had undergone cataract surgery (39.9%), those with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (25.7%), and those with any retinal disease (27.5%)., Conclusions: ERMs occur frequently in Latinos, often bilaterally. The associations of ERMs with proliferative retinopathy, retinal lesions, macular holes, and cataract surgery were confirmed. Central PMF is associated with reduced visual acuity.

This article is based on the author's personal views and clinical experience and offers an overview of the current state of knowledge on the pathogenesis of macular holes including currently available therapy strategies. Special attention is paid to the prevailing controversial issues regarding treatment concepts for macular holes.

Objective: To report on the prevalence, correlates, and natural history of epiretinal membranes (ERM) in eyes with stage II or III/IV macular holes., Design: A subgroup analysis arising from a multicentered, controlled, randomized clinical trial., Setting: Community and university-based ophthalmology clinics., Patients: Two hundred twenty four eyes with stage II or III/IV macular holes., Interventions: No intervention for 100 eyes randomly assigned to observation., Outcome Measures: Grade of ERM determined by stereoscopic examination of fundus photographs at baseline and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months of follow-up., Results: The prevalence of ERM was 65% (145 of 224 eyes), was greater in pseudophakic than in phakic eyes (80% vs. 63%, P = 0.10), and increased with increasing severity of the hole (P < 0.0001). Stage III/IV eyes with ERM had a significantly larger hole size than did eyes without ERM (P < 0.01); however, no association between presence of ERM and visual acuity was found (P > 0.5). In the 100 phakic eyes that were randomly assigned to observation, there was a significant increase in the severity of ERM over follow-up (P < 0.0001)., Conclusions: ERM are common in eyes with full-thickness idiopathic macular holes. Although ERM prevalence increases with severity and size of the macular hole, the presence of ERM are not closely correlated with visual acuity. These factors may be important in considering the removal of ERM during vitrectomy for macular hole.