Effects of Internal Limiting Membrane Peeling in Combined Hamartoma of Retina and Retinal Pigment Epithelium

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of peeling the internal limiting membrane (ILM) of an epiretinal membrane (ERM) for surgical treatment of combined hamartoma of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 11 patients (11 eyes) with ERM of combined hamartoma of the retina + RPE and 22 patients (22 eyes) with idiopathic ERM who treated with pars plana vitrectomy and removal of the ERM. The patients were divided into four groups: involving eyes with (5 eyes) or without (6 eyes) ILM peeling in combined hamartoma of the retina + RPE group and eyes with (10 eyes) or without (12 eyes) ILM peeling in the idiopathic ERM group. Anatomical outcomes, functional outcomes, complications and recurrences were compared between eyes with and without ILM peeling. Results: Central retinal thickness (CRT) and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) decreased and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved regardless of ILM peeling in all groups. There were no statistically significant differences in CRT, SFCT and BCVA between without and with ILM peeling in ERM of combined hamartoma of the retina + RPE and idiopathic ERM groups. There were no complications and recurrences in any group. Conclusions: The additional ILM peeling did not affect the postoperative results. J Korean Ophthalmol Soc 2018;59(1):23-30