Long-term risk factors for poor visual outcomes in patients with epiretinal membrane and open-angle glaucoma: a retrospective study

We aimed to identify prognostic risk factors for visual deterioration in eyes with epiretinal membrane (ERM) and open-angle glaucoma (OAG) through long-term follow-up. In this retrospective observational case series, we examined consecutive eyes with ERM and OAG over a minimum follow-up of 2 years. Visual outcomes and prognostic factors were analyzed in patients' eyes undergoing ERM peeling with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) (peeling group) and only observation (observation group). Eyes followed for less than 2 years after PPV were excluded. Among 100 eyes from 84 patients, 31 and 69 eyes were classified into peeling and observation groups, respectively. Over the follow-up period, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in the observation group worsened from 0.03 ± 0.19 to 0.14 ± 0.33 (P = 0.0003), whereas that in the peeling group remained stable. Multivariate analysis revealed microcystic macular edema (MME) (odds ratio: 4.97; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.52 to 16.2; P = 0.008) and thin central foveal thickness (CFT) (odds ratio: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.98 to 1.00; P = 0.033) as risk factors for visual acuity decay. The presence of MME and thin CFT were risk factors for long-term visual deterioration in eyes with ERM and concomitant OAG. Vitrectomy with ERM peeling for eyes with OAG may be considered to preserve BCVA.