Retinal contraction and metamorphopsia scores in eyes with idiopathic epiretinal membrane.
OBJECTIVE
Using M-CHARTS (Inami Co., Tokyo, Japan), which were developed by the authors to measure metamorphopsia, and image-analysis software, which was developed to quantify retinal contraction, the authors investigated the relationship between the degree of retinal contraction and the degree of metamorphopsia in eyes with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM).


METHODS
This study was conducted in 29 eyes with ERM (29 patients, 20 women; mean age, 62.1 +/- 8.6 years) observed for at least 3 years (mean, 3.55 +/- 0.6 years) after diagnosis. Horizontal (MH) and vertical (MV) metamorphopsia scores were obtained with the M-CHARTS. Horizontal and vertical retinal contraction due to ERM was measured by using image-analysis software developed by the authors to calculate horizontal and vertical components of changes in the locations of retinal vessels on sequential fundus images.


RESULTS
There was a significant (P < 0.01) positive correlation between the degree of retinal contraction and metamorphopsia score. In addition, there were significant positive correlations between horizontal contraction of the retina and the MV score (P < 0.01) and between vertical contraction of the retina and the MH score (P < 0.05). No significant correlations were found between change in the metamorphopsia score and change in visual acuity or mean defect.


CONCLUSIONS
Metamorphopsia scores correlate well with measurements of retinal contraction due to idiopathic ERM. Using M-CHARTS is a simple and useful method for quantitatively monitoring metamorphopsia in patients with ERM.
Arimura
Eiko
E
Department of Ophthalmology, Kinki University School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan. arimura@ganka.med.kindai.ac.jp
Matsumoto
Chota
C
Okuyama
Sachiko
S
Takada
Sonoko
S
Hashimoto
Shigeki
S
Shimomura
Yoshikazu
Y
D003286:Contracture / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D019773:Epiretinal Membrane / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology