Factors Affecting the Outcome of Vitrectomy With Internal Limiting Membrane Peeling for Myopic Foveoschisis.

Purpose: To evaluate the short- and long-term effect of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling on visual acuity and macular morphology in myopic foveoschisis (MF) patients and to identify potential prognostic factors.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients with MF who underwent PPV with ILM peeling by the same senior fundus surgeon at Beijing Friendship Hospital from January 2016 to December 2022. The peeling was strategically centered on the macular fovea, extending to encompass the superotemporal and inferotemporal vascular arcades. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were conducted to screen out the prognostic factors.

Results

36 eyes of 36 consecutive patients were analyzed in total. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved significantly from 1.10 ± 0.61 logMAR to 0.78 ± 0.58 logMAR (p=0.031). 23 eyes (63.89%) had postoperative BCVA improved ≥ 2 Snellen lines. The mean central fovea thickness (CFT) decreased from 427.14 ± 255.91 μm to 155.85 ± 67.33 μm (p < 0.001). 18 and 16 eyes achieved partial and complete retinal reattachment, respectively, as follows. The twelfth month postoperatively was a threshold to influence the resolution of MF significantly, but it did not affect the visual outcome. Multiple logistic regression showed CFT (OR = 1.007, 95% CI = 1.001, 1.013, p value = 0.034) remained significant to predict the complete retina resolution. For visual acuity, integrated ellipsoid zone (EZ) band (OR = 0.239, 95% CI = 0.073, 0.783, p value = 0.018) might be a significant predictive factor. Subgroup analysis further indicated that in eyes with an intact EZ band, a poorer baseline BCVA was associated with an increase in postoperative BCVA (p=0.015). Conversely, in those with disrupted EZ band, all included factors showed no significant difference.

Conclusion

The study observed trends in the recovery pattern of the retina following surgery and suggested potential factors that may be associated with improvements in both visual acuity and retinal reattachment. The findings may offer some guidance to ophthalmic surgeons in considering the timing of surgery, although further research is needed to confirm these trends as definitive predictors.