Refractive change after vitrectomy for epiretinal membrane in pseudophakic eyes

. Purpose: To report the change in refraction in pseudophakic eyes following 23-gauge vitrectomy for epiretinal membrane (ERM), without use of silicone oil, intraocular gas or scleral buckling. Methods: Retrospective review of the records of 28 pseudophakic eyes in 28 patients undergoing 23-gauge pars plana vitrectomy for ERM. All 28 eyes had a measured preoperative refraction in their records and were seen minimum 2months after vitrectomy for measuring their refraction. Fellow eyes (28 eyes) were used as controls. Results: The mean preoperative refraction was -0.15 +/- 0.85dioptre (D), and the mean postoperative refraction was -0.41 +/- 0.93D. Thus, a myopic shift was observed following vitrectomy with a mean change in refraction of -0.26 +/- 0.60 D (range +0.75 to -2.13D, p=0.032). The postoperative change in refraction was within +/- 0.25, +/- 0.50 and +/- 1.00D in 39%, 68% and 96% of the eyes, respectively. The mean absolute refractive error was 0.47 +/- 0.44D. The change in refraction in fellow eyes was +0.01D (p=0.82). Conclusion: The change in refraction following 23-gauge pars plana vitrectomy for ERM in pseudophakic eyes was -0.26D.