Surgical management of post-uveitic epiretinal membranes

Purpose: Previous reports described unfavorable visual outcomes after surgery for uveitic macular pucker. Our goal was to demonstrate that patients with history of uveitis may benefit from vitrectomy for epiretinal membrane if executed under appropriate circumstances. Methods: We performed pars plana vitrectomy with ERM and ILM peeling in patients with post-uveitic macular pucker who did not show signs of ocular inflammation for at least 3 months after the suspension of immunosuppressive therapy. Visual acuity, central macular thickness at OCT, ocular inflammation, and complications were recorded. Results: Twenty-six eyes were operated. Mean duration of follow-up was 67 months. Visual acuity significantly improved from 20/80 to 20/40 after surgery. Vision increased in 20 (77%), remained stable in 4 (15%), and decreased in 2 (8%) eyes. Best-corrected visual acuity ameliorated by at least 2 ETDRS lines in 14 eyes (54%). Contingency analysis did not show any statistical difference among the different types of uveitis (p = 0.46). Mean central foveal thickness improved postoperatively (428 ± 104 vs 328 ± 130 microns; p = 0.017). Conclusion: Patients with uveitic epiretinal membrane benefit from vitrectomy with membranectomy if operated when intraocular inflammation had subsided.