J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2021 Aug;62(8):1061-1068. 10.3341/jkos.2021.62.8.1061.

Incidence and Risk Factors of Epiretinal Membrane after Cataract Surgery

• Kim JI
• Oh JH

• KMID: 2519326
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2021.62.8.1061

Abstract

Purpose
To investigate the incidence and risk factors of epiretinal membrane (ERM) after cataract surgery.
Methods
We reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent cataract surgery between January 2016 and December 2018. Eyes with ERM, as observed by optical coherence tomography performed 1-2 months after surgery, were excluded from the study. ERM was diagnosed by fundus photography. The incidence rate was determined 2-6, 6-12, and 12-24 months after surgery. The cumulative incidence rate of ERM was calculated by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Data were analyzed using logistic regression to determine the associations between ERM development and various factors.
Results
The study included 218 eyes of 161 patients with a mean age of 66.6 ± 9.7 years at the time of surgery. ERM was observed in 3 of 218 eyes (1.4%) between 2 and 6 months, 15 of 176 eyes (8.3%) between 6 and 12 months, and 14 of 150 eyes (10.3%) between 12 and 24 months after surgery. The cumulative incidence rate of ERM was 11.7% over the 24-month period after surgery. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, older age (≥65 years; odds ratio [OR], 8.59, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.43-51.49), fellow eye with ERM (OR, 3.63; 95% CI, 1.04-12.73), longer axial length (≥26 mm; OR, 8.02; 95% CI, 1.08-59.66), and complete posterior vitreous detachment development (OR, 7.48; 95% CI, 1.64-34.14) were significantly associated with ERM development.
Conclusions
ERM is not rare after cataract surgery. Long-term retinal examination should be required after cataract surgery.

Keyword

Cataract surgery; Epiretinal membrane; Incidence; Risk factors