Visual acuity and microperimetric mapping of lesion area in eyes with inflammatory cystoid macular oedema

. Purpose:  To evaluate the effect of fluid accumulation on local visual function in inflammatory cystoid-macular-edema (ICME). Methods:  This cross-sectional study applied optical-coherence-tomography over a 12 × 12 fovea-centered field in 50 patients with ICME and mapped the extent of fluid-filled spaces in various retinal layers, of subretinal-fluid and of diffuse-edema. Regression analysis examined effect of planimetric fluid-distribution on best-corrected-visual-acuity (BCVA) and mean microperimetric-sensitivity. Results:  BCVA decreased with increasing central-neuroretinal-thickness (r = 0.52, p = 0.001), total central-retinal-thickness, including subneuroretinal-fluid (r = 0.41, p = 0.006), total cystoid-and-diffuse edema-area (r = 0.35, p = 0.036) and cystoid inner-nuclear-layer area (r = 0.39, p = 0.02). Mean retinal-sensitivity decreased with increasing diffuse edema-area (r = −0.86, p < 0.0001), total cystoid-and-diffuse edema-area (r = −0.54, p = 0.001), cystoid inner-nuclear-layer area (r = −0.46, p = 0.008) and cystoid ganglion-cell-layer area (r = −0.6, p = 0.049), central-neuroretinal-thickness (r = −0.42, p = 0.028) and total central-retinal-thickness (r = −0.34, p = 0.039). In multivariate-analyses BCVA was best described by central-neuroretinal-thickness, duration of edema, total cystoid-and-diffuse edema-area and cystoid inner-nuclear-layer area (R2 = 0.5, p = 0.002). Mean retinal-sensitivity was best described by diffuse edema-area, total cystoid-and-diffuse edema-area and central-neuroretinal-thickness (R2 = 0.75, p < 0.0001). Subretinal-fluid area and cystoid outer-nuclear/Henle’s layer area had no effect on either BCVA or microperimetry. Conclusions:  Thickening of the neurosensory-fovea, not subfoveal-fluid, had major impact on both BCVA and retinal-sensitivity. The extent of edema in inner retinal layers also had major impact on both of these two functional parameters. Visual-impairment seems to differ depending on the layers involved, thus different types of fluid accumulation may potentially be given varying treatment priorities.