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Background: Visual acuity serves as only a rough gauge of macular function. The aim therefore was to ascertain whether central an assessment of the central visual field afforded a closer insight into visual function after removal of epiretinal membranes and Infracyanine-Green- or Trypan-Blue-assisted peeling of the inner limiting membrane., Patients and Methods: Fourty-three patients undergoing pars-plana vitrectomy for the removal of epimacular membranes and dye-assisted peeling of the inner limiting membrane using either Infracyanine Green (n = 29; group 1) or Trypan Blue (n = 14; group 2) were monitored prospectively for 12 months. Preoperatively, and 1, 6 and 12 months postoperatively, distance and reading visual acuities were evaluated; the central visual field was assessed by automated static perimetry., Results: Twelve months after surgery, distance and reading visual acuities had improved in both groups, but to a significant degree only in Trypan-Blue-treated eyes. The difference between the two groups was not significant. Likewise at this juncture, the mean size of the visual-field defect remained unchanged in Trypan-Blue-treated eyes (preoperative: 4.3 (SD 2.1) dB; 12 months: 4.0 (2.1) dB (p = 0.15)), but had increased in Infracyanine-Green-treated ones (from 5.3 (3.7) dB to 8.0 (5.2) dB (p = 0.027))., Conclusion: Unlike visual acuity, the central visual field had deteriorated in Infracyanine-Green-treated eyes but not in Trypan-Blue-treated eyes 12 months after surgery. Hence, as a predictor of functional outcome, testing of the central visual field may be a more sensitive gauge than visual acuity. Furthermore, Infracyanine Green may have a chronic and potentially clinically relevant effect on the macula which is not reflected in the visual acuity.

Background: By using dyes, it is easier to identify the extent of an epiretinal membrane (ERM) or the inner limiting membrane (ILM) during surgery. Trypan blue (TB) stains ERM and ILM weakly, but with less apparent toxicity than other intraocular dyes. Its main drawback in vitreoretinal surgery is the requirement of an air-fluid exchange (AFX) before its use., Aim: To propose a modified form of TB denser than water, thus obviating the need for an AFX., Design: A prospective, consecutive trial with heavy trypan blue in vitreoretinal surgery., Methods: A consecutive group of patients with ERMs was recruited prospectively. Patients were operated on using conventional methods. Heavy TB was prepared by mixing glucose 10% with Membrane blue (Dorc, Zuidland, The Netherlands) isovolumetrically. Patients were preoperatively and postoperatively assessed at 3 and 6 months (vision and ocular coherence tomography (OCT)). Ease of surgery was also assessed., Results: 29 eyes were included in the study. Reapplication of dye was necessary in 25% of the cases, leading to improved contrast further facilitating the peeling process. In no case was an AFX necessary to obtain sufficient staining. All patients with ERM had an improvement in vision (from median 0.30 to 0.55) and macular volume and foveal thickness (from median 450 to 238 mm) on OCT. No retinal detachment or other complications developed as a result of surgery., Conclusion: Heavy TB can be delivered efficiently to the retinal surface without an AFX. Staining was sufficient to allow a safe and efficient peeling of ERM. Repeat applications were easily performed. Its use was associated with vision improvement and decreased in foveal thickness, and the absence of adverse events in this small case series.

Aims: To study the clinical properties of double vital staining in premacular fibrosis, facilitating complete removal of all epiretinal tissue., Methods: In a two step surgery, the epiretinal pucker was removed after staining with trypan blue, whereafter the inner limiting membrane was peeled after staining with infracyanine green., Results: In all 30 patients, a separate epiretinal layer and inner limiting membrane were removed from the macular area. Pathological examination showed different histological properties of the removed layers. An increased visual acuity was measured in 26 patients, and a slightly decreased visual acuity in one patient., Conclusion: The described double staining technique could be a novel valuable tool that may help to achieve optimal anatomical and functional recovery after surgery for premacular fibrosis