Spontaneous Separation of Epiretinal Membranes

Spontaneous separation of epiretinal membrane in young subjects: personal observations and review of the literature

“…It may occur spontaneously without evidence of any intervention [1,7,13,15], by development of a PVD [16], or shortly after peripheral panretinal photocoagulation [8,38] or ND:YAG laser treatment [33]. Spontaneous separation of secondary ERM was also described in a young boy 8 months after ocular trauma [30].…”

Intraoperative characteristics of the posterior vitreous cortex in patients with epiretinal membrane

“…This observation suggests that epiretinal membranes are strongly connected to the posterior vitreous cortex. Similarly, spontaneous separation of epiretinal membranes with subsequent PVD has been reported in a clinical setting [24][25][26][27][28].…”

Vitreous cortex remnants at the fovea after spontaneous vitreous detachment

“…Assuming the structure of the idiopathic preretinal membrane as being the vitreous cortex itself, we could explain the frequency of foveal remnants as being caused by the firm vitreoretinal adhesion of the area, or by the fact that the posterior cortex is thinned facing the fovea as a result of maculocentric synchisis. In addition, the spontaneous resolution of a pre-existing membrane after PVD, as reported occasionally (11)(12)(13)(14), and attributed to avulsion of the causative membrane together with posterior cortex, can otherwise be understood as follows: The membrane would consist of the posterior cortex itself. It could either resolve after PVD because the causative membrane is vitreous cortex itself, or persist if some remnants of the posterior cortex are left behind after PVD.…”