RESTORATION OF RETINALLY INDUCED ANISEIKONIA IN PATIENTS WITH EPIRETINAL MEMBRANE AFTER EARLY VITRECTOMY.

Abstract

To evaluate changes in aniseikonia in patients with unilateral epiretinal membrane after surgery. This prospective study included 24 patients with unilateral idiopathic epiretinal membrane who underwent vitrectomy. Best-corrected visual acuity and aniseikonia were measured using the Aniseikonia Inspector 3 (Optical Diagnostics, Culemborg, The Netherlands) preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively. Aniseikonia was measured in vertical and horizontal directions. Mean age at surgery was 64.2 ± 9.3 years, and mean symptom duration was 12.9 ± 11.4 months. Mean changes in aniseikonia after surgery were 41.0 ± 31.4% reduction in the vertical direction and 41.6 ± 30.8% reduction in the horizontal direction (both P < 0.001). The remaining aniseikonia after surgery correlated with symptom duration (r = 0.565, P = 0.006, and r = 0.812, P < 0.001, for vertical and horizontal directions, respectively). The good preoperative best-corrected visual acuity group showed better improvement of aniseikonia than did the poor preoperative group (P = 0.046 and P = 0.025 for vertical and horizontal directions, respectively). Greater improvement of aniseikonia after epiretinal membrane peeling was achieved in patients with better preoperative best-corrected visual acuity and shorter symptom durations. Early vitrectomy helped to reduce aniseikonia in patients with epiretinal membrane.