Visual field defects after uneventful vitrectomy for epiretinal membrane with indocyanide green-assisted internal limiting membrane peeling

PURPOSE: To report visual field defects after vitrectomy for epiretinal membrane with indocyanine green (ICG)-assisted internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling. DESIGN: Interventional consecutive case series. METHODS: A retrospective review of 16 eyes of 16 patients who underwent vitrectomy for idiopathic epiretinal membrane. Indocyanine green,assisted ILM peeling was performed in 7 of 16 eyes. The main outcome measure was postoperative visual field. RESULTS: Four of seven eyes (57%) with ICG assisted ILM peeling had visual field defects postoperatively. The field defects identified were nasal in three eyes; in the fourth eye, the visual field was constricted to approximately 30 degrees. None of the nine eyes without ICG,assisted ILM peeling had a visual field defect. CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral visual field defects may occur after vitrectomy with ICG-assisted ILM peeling. Although the cause of the defects is unclear, the potential role of ICG toxicity requires further investigation.