AIM: To evaluate two structural predictors of visual outcome of epiretinal membrane surgery.

METHODS: Retrospective study for 30 eyes of epiretinal membrane surgery between January 2014 and October 2016. We assessed the related parameters of the optical coherence tomography and recorded the best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA)at baseline and 1, 3 and 6mo after surgery. Correlations between the final best-corrected visual acuity and photoreceptor integrity status or photoreceptor outer segment length were investigated.

RESULTS: Average best-corrected visual acuity decreased at 1mo postoperatively compared with baseline, but improved at 3 and 6mo. Central macular were more sweller at 1mo postoperatively than baseline, but a significant thickeness reduction was found at 6mo(P<0.05). Photoreceptor outer segment length were shortened at 1mo compared with preoperation(P<0.05), gradually approached the baseline level at 3 and 6mo. Multivariate regression the final best-corrected visual acuity associated with photoreceptor integrity and photoreceptor outer segment length(P=0.023, 0.004).

CONCLUSION: Photoreceptor integrity and photoreceptor outer segment length detected by OCT were significant predictors of the final best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA)after idiopathic epiretinal membrane surgery.