Purpose: The purpose of the study was to evaluate visual and anatomical outcomes in patients with myopic foveoschisis who underwent vitrectomy and internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling with perfluoropropane (C3F8) tamponade or balanced saline solution in the vitreous cavity.
Methods: Retrospective comparison of a consecutive surgical series. Eighteen eyes of 17 patients scheduled for myopic foveoschisis surgery were recruited at the affiliated Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College, Zhejiang, China. Pars plana vitrectomy and ILM peeling with indocyanine green staining were performed in all patients. Refractive lens exchange was simultaneously performed in 12 phakic eyes. Finally, the vitreous cavity was filled with balanced saline solution in seven eyes of seven patients (Group A). Fluid-air exchange was performed in another 11 eyes of 11 patients (Group B), followed by injection of 18% C3F8. Patients were evaluated using best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) testing and optical coherence tomography scans.
Results: All patients completed more than 6 months of follow-up. In two groups, preoperative factors were not significantly different. In Group B, the postoperative BCVA was significantly greater than the preoperative BCVA (t = 4.401, P = 0.001) but not significantly different in Group A (t = 1.970, P = 0.096). The BCVA change in Group B was significantly greater than Group A at the last visit (Z = 2.23, P = 0.025). In both groups, the BCVA change was significantly correlated with the preoperative BCVA, respectively. The BCVA was improved by 0.2 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution or more in 10 eyes (91%) in Group B and 4 eyes (56%) in Group A. All eyes in both groups did not have decreases in the postoperative BCVA. In 3 months after vitrectomy, 6 eyes in Group A did not have anatomical resolutions. However, it was interesting to see that the height of retinoschisis at the central macular region gradually decreased until anatomical resolution was achieved. In Group B, all eyes had anatomical resolutions in 3 months after vitrectomy. None of the eyes developed macular hole during the surgery and the period of routine follow-up period.
Conclusion: Vitrectomy with ILM peeling does not increase the risk of iatrogenic macular hole formation. The poor elasticity of the ILM and the traction of membranous structure on the surface of the ILM play important roles in the development of myopic foveoschisis. In eyes undergoing vitrectomy and ILM peeling for myopic foveoschisis, C3F8 tamponade results in more rapid anatomical resolution and greater improvement in BCVA than balanced saline solution.