Incidence and Risk Factors of Epiretinal Membrane Following Acute Posterior Vitreous Detachment

Purpose: To investigate the incidence and risk factors of epiretinal membrane (ERM) after acute posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). Methods: We reviewed the medical records of patients diagnosed with PVD between February 2013 and February 2019. Patients with symptom onset (new floaters or photopsia) within 1 month at the time of diagnosis were included in the study. The ERM was diagnosed using fundus photographs. The incidence rate was investigated in each of the three periods: 1-3, 3-6, and 6-12 months after symptom onset. The cumulative incidence rate of ERM was calculated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Data were analyzed using logistic regression to determine the association between ERM development and various factors. Results: The study included 154 eyes. The mean age was 56.6 +/- 8.0 years. ERM was observed in three of 144 eyes (2.1%) between 1 month and 3 months, in 11 of 56 eyes (19.6%) between 3 and 6 months, and in 15 of 63 eyes (23.8%) between 6 and 12 months from symptom onset. The cumulative incidence rate of ERM was 35.3% over the 12 months following the onset of PVD symptoms. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, the fellow eye with ERM (odds ratio 11.9, 95% confidence interval 1.4-100.1) was significantly associated with ERM development. Conclusions: ERM development was relatively common after PVD. Long-term follow-up of 6 months or more should be required after the onset of symptoms.