Correlation between retinal sensitivity assessed by microperimetry and structural abnormalities on optical coherence tomography after successful epiretinal membrane surgery

Aline Mota Freitas Matos; Raphael Lucas Sampaio Defina; Luciana Virgínia Ferreira Costa-Cunha; Leandro Cabral Zacharias; Rony Carlos Preti; Mário Luiz Ribeiro Monteiro; Leonardo Provetti Cunha

doi:10.1186/s40942-024-00542-8

Correlation between retinal sensitivity assessed by microperimetry and structural abnormalities on optical coherence tomography after successful epiretinal membrane surgery

Int J Retina Vitreous. 2024 Feb 29;10(1):24. doi: 10.1186/s40942-024-00542-8.

Authors

Aline Mota Freitas Matos^{1

2}, Raphael Lucas Sampaio Defina¹, Luciana Virgínia Ferreira Costa-Cunha², Leandro Cabral Zacharias³, Rony Carlos Preti³, Mário Luiz Ribeiro Monteiro³, Leonardo Provetti Cunha^{4

5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Division of Ophthalmology, Federal University of Juiz de Fora Medical School, Avenida Barão do Rio Branco, 4051. Bom Pastor, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, 36021-630, Brazil.
² Juiz de Fora Eye Hospital, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
³ Division of Ophthalmology and the Laboratory of Investigation in Ophthalmology (LIM 33), University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil.
⁴ Division of Ophthalmology, Federal University of Juiz de Fora Medical School, Avenida Barão do Rio Branco, 4051. Bom Pastor, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, 36021-630, Brazil. leonardo_provetti@yahoo.com.br.
⁵ Juiz de Fora Eye Hospital, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil. leonardo_provetti@yahoo.com.br.
⁶ Division of Ophthalmology and the Laboratory of Investigation in Ophthalmology (LIM 33), University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil. leonardo_provetti@yahoo.com.br.

Abstract

Background: To verify the correlation between retinal sensitivity (RS) assessed by the microperimetry (MP) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) parameters measured in eyes submitted to pars-plana vitrectomy (PPV) for idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) treatment.

Methods: 43 patients underwent PPV. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and OCT imaging were acquired preoperatively and 6 months after surgery. The RS values were recorded 6 months after the surgery. Total macular thickness (TMT) measurements and OCT-evaluated structural findings were also analyzed. The MP examination tested 44 points, with direct topographic correspondence with the OCT-ETDRS map. Correlations between BCVA, RS, and OCT parameters were assessed.

Results: TMT measurements in patients were significantly thicker preoperatively and reduced after surgery. All patients demonstrated BCVA improvements after surgery. The RS parameters after surgery were significantly lower in patients. For OCT structural analyses, patients with lower RS at the fovea correlated with the preexisting disorganization of retinal inner layers (DRIL). In addition, lower RS values were associated with DRIL, outer retinal changes (ORC), and intraretinal microcysts after surgery.

Conclusions: The RS values after surgery were significantly lower when compared to controls. The DRIL presence before and after surgery, and microcysts and ORC after surgery were related to worse visual outcomes.

Keywords: Disorganization of the retinal inner layers/DRIL; Dissociated optic nerve fiber layer/DONFL; Epiretinal membrane; Macula; Microcysts; Microperimeter/microperimetry; Optical coherence tomography; Outer retinal changes; Pars-plana posterior vitrectomy; Retina.