Morphological study of epiretinal membrane following posterior penetrating injury in the monkey eye.

Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) and epiretinal membranes occur in a number of vitreoretinal diseases. We have developed an experimental model in which we can provide the morphologic correlation of these dynamic processes. The method provides the opportunity to study epiretinal membrane formation with the scanning electron microscope (SEM); with SEM, some epiretinal membranes that could not be readily detected either clinically or by routine light microscopy can now be identified and studied in detail. We performed an experimental posterior penetrating injury with injection of autologous whole blood or blood and lens material into the vitreous. Five eyes with posterior vitreous detachment but no retinal detachment were selected for SEM. A reduction in the cortical vitreous filaments and the presence of epiretinal membranes was apparent with SEM. In most areas the epiretinal membranes were separated from the internal limiting membrane by a narrow cleft; however, limited attachment sites between the epiretinal membranes and retina were observed in areas overlying retinal blood vessels. In two eyes we observed microscopic retinal folds beneath the membranes, demonstrating a possible morphologic correlation between epiretinal cellular contraction and traction on the retina.