RETINAL SENSITIVITY AS AN INDICATOR OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TREATMENT OF DIABETIC MACULAR EDEMA IN COMBINATION WITH THE EPIRETINAL MEMBRANE

Objective: to assess changes in the photosensitivity of the central zone of the retina in the dynamics of treatment of diabetic macular edema in combination with the epiretinal membrane. Materials and methods. Vitreoretinal intervention in the volume of subtotal vitrectomy with peeling of the epiretinal membrane and internal limiting membrane was performed in 35 patients (35 eyes) with diabetic macular edema in combination with the epiretinal membrane. The analysis of functional changes in the retina was performed according to microperimetry data on the device («MP1 Microperimeter», Nidek , Italy). Results of the study. Vitreoretinal intervention led to an increase in visual acuity of 2.28 times (p = 0.031). The photosensitivity of the central zone of the retina in the examined patients was 8.44 ± 0.12 dB before the operation, 12.55 ± 0.11 dB after surgery (p = 0.036). When evaluating the distribution by zones, a uniform reduction in the light perception from the periphery to the center was established, due to deformation of the retinal interface due to the contractile capacity of the epiretinal membrane. Conclusion. Performing vitrectomy with peeling of the epiretinal and internal border membrane in patients with diabetic macular edema in combination with the epiretinal membrane leads to an increase in visual acuity and light sensitivity, which confirms the importance of the method of microperimetry in the study of the functional status of the macular zone, and also substantiates the appropriateness of the chosen surgical technique (1 figure, bibliography: 5 refs).

diabetic macular edema, epiretinal membrane, retinal sensitivity, vitrectomy