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Binocular vision improves after successful resolution of uniocular epiretinal membrane
Ophthalmology. 2008;115(11):1930-1937.
Visual acuity outcomes and measurements of stereoacuity favor early resolution of a unilateral epiretinal membrane.
Although the epiretinal membrane affects only one eye, visual fusion is affected because the positional relationship of corresponding retinal points is altered. In 27 patients followed prospectively after treatment for a uniocular epiretinal membrane with vitrectomy, 20 had an improvement in visual acuity tested with a Snellen chart and four patients had unchanged acuity.
Stereoacuity measurements indicated either no or subnormal stereoacuity in all 27 patients preoperatively and was significantly reduced compared with 30 control patients without epiretinal membrane. Stereoacuity improved significantly in all 18 patients with measurable stereoacuity postoperatively.
Longer duration of symptoms correlated with diminished stereoscopic function and the best monocular and binocular visual outcomes occurred in patients who had earlier surgery; however, there was no correlation between duration of symptoms and visual acuity.