Refractive change after vitrectomy for epiretinal membrane in pseudophakic eyes

Purpose:  To report the change in refraction in pseudophakic eyes following 23-gauge vitrectomy for epiretinal membrane (ERM), without use of silicone oil, intraocular gas or scleral buckling. Methods:  Retrospective review of the records of 28 pseudophakic eyes in 28 patients undergoing 23-gauge pars plana vitrectomy for ERM. All 28 eyes had a measured preoperative refraction in their records and were seen minimum 2 months after vitrectomy for measuring their refraction. Fellow eyes (28 eyes) were used as controls. Results:  The mean preoperative refraction was -0.15 ± 0.85 dioptre (D), and the mean postoperative refraction was -0.41 ± 0.93 D. Thus, a myopic shift was observed following vitrectomy with a mean change in refraction of -0.26 ± 0.60 D (range +0.75 to -2.13 D, p = 0.032). The postoperative change in refraction was within ±0.25, ±0.50 and ±1.00 D in 39%, 68% and 96% of the eyes, respectively. The mean absolute refractive error was 0.47 ± 0.44 D. The change in refraction in fellow eyes was +0.01 D (p = 0.82). Conclusion:  The change in refraction following 23-gauge pars plana vitrectomy for ERM in pseudophakic eyes was -0.26 D.