Quantification of Metamorphopsia in Patients With Epiretinal Membranes

Epiretinal membranes are common disorders leading to visual loss and metamorphopsia in later stages. In most cases they are idiopathic with no identifiable cause (iERM). ERM can be visualized with optical coherence tomography (OCT) and can cause metamorphopsia, usually diagnosed with the Amsler grid or metamorphopsia chart (M-chart), which have influence on vision. ERM are surgically treated by vitrectomy and membrane peeling, however, postoperative visual acuity and quality of vision are difficult to predict. Quality of vision is highly dependent on metamorphopsia which can be an overlooked symptom. Thus, detailed examinations using M-charts prior to surgery can help to quantify the degree of metamorphopsia and might predict the potential benefit of the surgery. Recently, home monitoring tests for metamorphopsia using handheld mobile devices are becoming increasingly important. The Alleye App is one of two m-health applications with FDA approval, that is already in use for monitoring the progression of metamorphopsia in other retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). It has yet to be evaluated for ERM. Aim of this study is to examine the correlation between the Alleye App and the M-chart test before and after ERM surgery and the associations of OCT biomarkers to postsurgical changes in metamorphopsia scores.