Perifoveal microcirculation in eyes with epiretinal membranes.
OBJECTIVE
Eyes with epiretinal membranes (ERMs) often have alterations of retinal vessels. The authors studied perifoveal microcirculation in eyes with epiretinal membranes (ERMs) using scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) fluorescein angiography.


METHODS
Mean capillary blood flow velocity (CFV) was measured as an index of perifoveal microcirculation by SLO fluorescein angiography in 26 eyes with ERMs (19 eyes with idiopathic epiretinal membranes, seven eyes with epiretinal membranes after retinal detachment surgery) before and 6 months after vitreous surgery, and in 23 healthy control subjects.


RESULTS
The mean CFV was significantly reduced in eyes with ERMs compared with healthy controls (p=0.012), and the postoperative mean CFV was significantly increased compared with the preoperative mean CFV (p=0.041).


CONCLUSIONS
Significant changes of capillary blood flow velocity in the perifoveal areas were observed between normal subjects and eyes with epiretinal membranes. This indicates that eyes with ERMs show abnormal haemodynamics in the perifoveal capillaries.
Kadonosono
K
K
Department of Ophthalmology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Japan.
Itoh
N
N
Nomura
E
E
Ohno
S
S
D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002196:Capillaries / Q000503:physiopathology; D019773:Epiretinal Membrane / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000601:surgery