Exploratory analysis of choriocapillaris vasculature as a biomarker of idiopathic epiretinal membrane.

Abstract

PurposeTo investigate the preoperative choriocapillaris perfusion (CCP) as a biomarker in patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (iERM).Materials and methods28 patients (28 eyes) with unilateral iERM who received pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling were included for retrospective observational study. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and angiography (OCTA) was performed before and after PPV. Area, perimeter, and circularity of superficial foveal avascular zone (FAZ) were analyzed preoperatively in both eyes using OCTA. Preoperative CCP was also analyzed with binarized en-face OCTA images. Measurements of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central foveal thickness (CFT) by OCT were conducted at the baseline and 6 months following the surgery. The correlations of preoperative OCT parameters with postoperative BCVA and CFT reduction were analyzed.ResultsCCP was significantly lower (p ConclusionsPreoperative CCP is a biomarker for poor functional and anatomical prognosis after surgery in iERM.