To identify prognostic factors associated with a favorable outcome after vitrectomy for patients with macular epiretinal membrane (ERM).

The authors retrospectively reviewed the records of 63 patients (64 eyes) with macular ERM, who were treated by vitrectomy between 2003 and 2008, and followed for more than 6 months.

The mean follow-up period was 13.21 ± 9.11 months and the mean best corrected visual acuity after vitrectomy was log MAR 0.32 ± 0.34. Univariate analysis revealed the patients in the group with a postoperative log MAR of 0.3 or better had better preoperative visual acuity and shorter symptom duration; multivariate analysis revealed the same results. In 24 eyes, intraretinal structures which contained pseudoholes, intraretinal cysts, retinal folds and vitreoretinal traction were analyzed with Cirrus HD-OCT, however, there was no correlation with visual acuity after vitrectomy.

The present study demonstrated vitrectomy for macular ERM resulted in favorable visual improvement. The preoperative visual acuity and symptom duration were a significant prognostic factor.