Results of epiretinal membrane removal combined with PEA and IOL.

We examined 558 eyes from 538 surgical cases of idiopathic epiretinal membrane with respect to the effectiveness of the triple surgery that involves concomitant intraocular lens surgery, the most appropriate timing for the evaluation of postoperative visual acuity, and the relationship between the pre- and postoperative visual acuity. From the viewpoint of the timing of the intraocular lens surgery, we classified our patients into 4 groups: (1) a phakic eye group; (2) a two-step surgery group; (3) a triple surgery group; and (4) an intraocular lens group. The visual acuity evaluation was performed in 22 eyes from the phakic eye group based on the patient's age being 45 years or younger, in all 326 eyes from the triple surgery group, and in all 86 eyes from the two-step surgery group. We excluded the intraocular lens group from the visual acuity evaluation. The timing of the visual acuity evaluation was one year after the surgery for the phakic eye and triple surgery groups, and one year after the intraocular lens surgery for the two-step surgery group. The postoperative visual acuity was correlated with the patient's age. When a patient was less than 55 years of age, the postoperative visual acuity correlated positively with age. In contrast, when a patient was 55 years of age or older, it correlated inversely with age. The postoperative visual acuity was significantly correlated with the preoperative visual acuity, and it was possible to predict the postoperative visual acuity based on a regression equation. The preoperative visual acuity necessary for a postoperative visual acuity of 20/20 or more was 20/20 for patients under 40 years old, 20/40 for 40-59 years, 20/32 for 60-79 years, and 20/20 for 80 years and older.