Purpose: To examine retinal displacement after vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling for epiretinal membrane treatment, and to determine the correlation between the extent of displacement and the ganglion cell layer thickness changes.
Methods: Thirty-nine consecutive patients were evaluated. Optical coherence tomography was performed preoperatively, and 2 and 6 months postoperatively. The distance between the fovea, the vessel intersection in the superior nasal, superior temporal, inferior nasal, and inferior temporal macular regions, and the optic disk were measured. Ganglion cell layer thickness was recorded.
Results: The distance from the optic disk to the fovea and the superior nasal and inferior nasal vessel intersections significantly reduced at 2 and 6 months. Ganglion cell layer thickness significantly decreased in all the subfields (except nasal) at 6 months. A significant negative correlation was found between the change in the ganglion cell layer thickness and the movement of the fovea toward the optic disk. The ganglion cell layer thickness changes significantly correlated with retinal displacement.
Conclusion: Retinal displacement toward the optic disk was detected after vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling in eyes with epiretinal membrane. Ganglion cell layer thickness significantly reduced in all the subfields (except nasal). The extent of the displacement and the ganglion cell layer thickness changes showed significant negative correlation.
Keywords: Epiretinal membrane; ganglion cell layer; internal limiting membrane peeling; retinal displacement.