Purpose: To analyze the correlation between preoperative measurements of macular microstructures and aniseikonia after epiretinal membrane removal.
Methods: This retrospective study included 32 eyes of 32 patients who underwent epiretinal membrane surgery and were followed up for 12 months. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography was used to measure the thicknesses of the ganglion cell layer-inner plexiform layer, inner nuclear layer (INL), and outer retinal layer in macular microstructures. The new aniseikonia test was used to measure vertical and horizontal aniseikonia scores.
Results: There was a significant decrease in central macular thickness and ganglion cell layer-inner plexiform layer thickness at 6 and 12 months postoperatively (all P < 0.001). Vertical aniseikonia scores, horizontal aniseikonia scores, and INL and outer retinal layer thicknesses did not show significant changes. Vertical aniseikonia scores and horizontal aniseikonia scores were significantly associated with INL thicknesses of each meridian at each follow-up time point (all P < 0.05). Preoperative vertical and horizontal INL thicknesses were correlated with vertical aniseikonia scores and horizontal aniseikonia scores at 12 months postoperatively (P = 0.014 and P = 0.002, respectively).
Conclusion: Aniseikonia values did not change after epiretinal membrane removal and were associated with INL thickness before and after surgery. Thus, preoperative INL thickness could be used as a predictor of surgical prognosis in epiretinal membrane patients.