Rethinking Epiretinal Membrane Disease

At SARyV 2026, Andrea Govetto, MD, PhD, discusses why epiretinal membrane disease should be understood as more than a disorder of the retinal surface.

By: Patricio G. Schlottmann, MD, Andrea Govetto, MD, PhD

Retinal Physician November 10, 2026

Clinical Scorecard: Rethinking Epiretinal Membrane Disease

At a Glance

Category	Detail
Condition	Clinical topic addressed by the source article: Rethinking Epiretinal Membrane Disease
Key Mechanisms	The speaker says Müller cells proliferate, extend out from the retina, pass through the internal limiting membrane, and proliferate over the retinal surface; he describes the disease as extending through the retinal thickness up to the external limiting membrane.
Target Population	Patients or participants described in the source article.
Care Setting	Care setting described in the source article.

Key Highlights

ERM is described as more than a disorder confined to the retinal surface.
The disease is characterized as extending through the retinal thickness up to the external limiting membrane.
Müller cell proliferation and passage through the internal limiting membrane are described as part of the disease process.
The speaker states that ERM surgery involves more variables to consider than previously recognized.

Guideline-Based Recommendations

Diagnosis

Management

Monitoring & Follow-up

Risks

Patient & Prescribing Data

The article discusses people with epiretinal membrane disease but provides no demographic or prescribing data.

The discussion notes that ERM surgery requires consideration of multiple variables; it does not specify treatments or prescribing recommendations.

Clinical Best Practices

The speaker describes ERM as involving the full retinal thickness, not only the retinal surface.
The speaker says ERM surgery involves more variables to consider than in the past.