This study was designed to compare the outcomes in idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) surgery according to solvents of indocyanine green (ICG) for internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling.

The medical records of 27 patients (27 eyes) with idiopathic ERM who had undergone pars plana vitrectomy with ICG staining for ILM peeling were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups according to solvents of 0.25% ICG solutions. Solvents used were balanced salt solution (BSS) in group I (15 eyes) and 5% glucose in group II (12 eyes). The severity of ERM, the duration of symptoms, the preoperative and postoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) values, the visibility of the stained ILM (Good, Fair, Poor), and the postoperative complications were compared in the two groups.

There was no statistically significant difference in the severity of ERM, the duration of symptoms and the preoperative BCVA in the two groups. The postoperative BCVA was significantly improved in both groups, and the difference was not statistically significant ( p = 0.675). There was a significantly smaller number of eyes with poor ILM staining in group II than in group I ( p = 0.014). No complications such as recurrence of ERM, atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) or retinal detachment were observed in the two groups.

The higher specific gravity of 5% glucose compared with that of BSS as ICG solvents allows for improved ILM visualization. Therefore using the 5% glucose-ICG solution for staining ILM improved the visibility of ILM compared BSS-ICG solution and led to comparable visual recovery.