Purpose: To report the displacement of the foveal retina toward the optic disc after vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling for myopic foveoschisis
Methods: This study included 12 eyes of 12 patients (3 men and 9 women, mean age: 69.3±5.2 years, and mean axial length: 29.7±2.2 mm) who underwent successful vitrectomy with ILM peeling for myopic foveoschisis without complications of retinal detachment or macular hole. The distance between the fovea and optic disc before and after the surgery using the images with scanning laser ophthalmoscope was measured and compared. In addition, the association of displacement distance with axial length, pre- and post-operative foveal thickness, and changes in foveal thickness were investigated.
Results: Pre- and post-operative foveal thicknesses were 699.8±369.0 μm and 165.3±71.2 μm, respectively. Post-operative foveal thickness was significantly less than the pre-operative foveal thickness (p<0.001). The pre- and post-operative distances between the fovea and the optic disc were 4695.8±611.8 μm and 4235.0±645.0 μm, respectively. The post-operative distance was significantly less than the pre-operative distance (p<0.001). The pre-and post-operative best corrected visual acuities (logarithmic minimum angle of resolution) were 0.81±0.29 and 0.82±0.55, respectively. The visual acuity did not change significantly (p>0.05). The displacement distance was not associated with axial length, pre- and post-operative foveal thickness, or changes in foveal thickness (all p>0.05).
Conclusions: ILM peeling caused the displacement of the foveal retina toward the optic disc in the eyes after the surgery for myopic foveoschisis. The displacement distance in myopic foveoschisis was larger than that previously reported for idiopathic macular holes, diabetic macular edema, and retinal detachment, suggesting a stronger tractional force of ILM on the foveal retina toward the temporal retina in eyes with myopic foveoschisis.
Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi (J Jpn Ophthalmol Soc) 125: 446-451, 2021.