’Purrpose:
To investigate long-term intraocular pressure trends after uncomplicated pars
plana vitrectomy for idiopathic epiretinal membrane.
Methods:
Three hundred and sixty-eight eyes of 368 consecutive patients were enrolled.
Changes in intraocular pressure 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery and during the
fi
nal
follow-up visit were evaluated in vitrectomized eyes and nonvitrectomized fellow eyes.
Results:
The median follow-up period was 36 months (range 12
–
92 months). Longitudinal
data analysis evidenced a 2.5-mmHg (2.2 mmHg; 2.7 mmHg, 95% con
fi
dence interval) statis-
tically signi
fi
cant difference in intraocular pressure 30 days after surgery between treated and
fellow untreated eyes, gradually recovering to a not signi
fi
cant 0.2-mmHg (
2
0.1 mmHg; 0.4
mmHg, 95% con
fi
dence interval) difference within 26 months. The incidence of late-onset
ocular hypertension was 5.7% (21 over 347, 2%; 12%, 95% con
fi
dence interval) without
difference between the treated eyes and the group control. No signi
fi
cant difference in the
incidence of late-onset ocular hypertension and
sex, lens status, or gauge of vitrectomy instru-
ments was detected. Only patient
’
sagewassigni
fi
cantly higher (mean difference 4.2 years;
0.1
–
8.0 years, Monte Carlo, 95% con
fi
dence interval) in those who de
veloped late-onset ocular
hypertension in the vitrectomized eye.
Conclusion:
Uncomplicated pars plana vitrectomy for idiopathic epiretinal membrane
seems not to increase the risk of late-onset ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma
development.
R
