Macular epiretinal membrane peeling treatment outcomes in young children

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe macular epiretinal membrane (ERM) peeling treatment outcomes in young children. Methods: The medical records of all vitrectomies from 1998 through 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who were selected were 16 years or younger and had primarily macular or posterior pole disease secondary to an ERM. Patients with retinopathy of prematurity, Coats disease, Norrie disease, and incontinentia pigmenti were excluded. Fourteen patients underwent vitrectomy with ERM peeling, and their preoperative and postoperative visual acuities were compared. Results: The mean age at surgery was 8 years, with an average follow-up of 4.2 years (range, 6 months to 11 years). The average presenting visual acuity was 20/258. Average postoperative visual acuity was 20/100, with improvement in 12 patients (86%) and no change of visual acuity in 2 patients (14%). Conclusion: Pediatric ERMs respond well to vitrectomy and membrane peel with a low likelihood of recurrence. Other associated pathology, such as familial exudative retinopathy and combined hamartomas of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium, was associated with complications, such as delayed-onset rhegmatogenous retinal detachment from peripheral traction and recurrence of ERM in 7% of patients.