STRUCTURE–FUNCTION ASSOCIATION BETWEEN CONTRAST SENSITIVITY FUNCTION AND OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY FEATURES IN PATIENTS WITH IDIOPATHIC EPIRETINAL MEMBRANE

PURPOSE: Investigate the structure-function relationships between epiretinal membrane (ERM) stage, tractional abnormalities, and the gap area between the ERM and the retinal surface, in relation to visual acuity and quantitative contrast sensitivity function in patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane. METHODS: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study involving 111 participants diagnosed with idiopathic ERM. All patients underwent a comprehensive ophthalmologic examination, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography imaging using the SPECTRALIS Heidelberg system, and contrast sensitivity (CS) testing using the quantitative contrast sensitivity function method. RESULTS: Progressive stages of ERM were associated with declines in both CS and visual acuity (β* = -0.45 to -0.19, P < 0.02), with CS showing a more pronounced reduction than visual acuity, especially between controls and Stage 1. Ectopic inner foveal layer thickness exhibited a similar pattern of decline in both visual acuity (β* = 0.42, P < 0.001) and CS (β* = -0.46 to -0.18, all P < 0.02). By contrast, SUKIMA showed no significant association with any of the visual measurements assessed. Among the tractional abnormalities, the cotton ball sign correlated with diminished vision, particularly reflected by a notable drop in CS at the highest spatial frequencies tested with reduced CS at 12 cycles per degree (β* = -0.44, P = 0.02) and 18 cycles per degree (β* = -0.46, P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Quantitative contrast sensitivity function testing is particularly important for assessing visual function in ERM development, especially in the early stages.