Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, data of patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) plus membranectomy for idiopathic ERM were collected in non diabetic patients (group 1) and diabetic patients (group 2). Preoperative and postoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT) at 1st, 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th and 18th months, follow-up time, presence of macular edema after PPV and recurrence of ERM were compared. Also the effect of peeling of internal limiting membran (ILM) was evaluated on BCVA and CMT.

Results: Group 1 included 16 eyes of 16 patients (7 female, 9 male, mean age: 70.9±8.2 years) and group 2 included 19 eyes of 19 patients (8 female, 11 male, mean age: 66.2±7.2). Mean follow-up was 16.7±9.1 months in group 1 and 17.1±10.1 months in group 2 (p=0.949). BCVA was improved from 0.2±0.2 to 0.4±0.2 at 12 months and 0.4±0.3 at 18 months in group 1 (p<0.05) and from 0.3±0.2 to 0.5±0.2 at 12 months and 0.5±0.3 at 18 months in group 2 (p<0.05). Postoperative CMT was improved in all visits in both groups. There was no effect of peeling of ILM on long term results of BCVA and CMT.

Conclusion: DM had no negative effect on results of PPV plus memranectomy for idiopathic ERM. Number of case who had decrease in BCVA and macular edema were higher in diabetic patients but this was not significant. Keywords : Diabetes mellitus, idiopathic epiretinal membrane, pars plana vitrectomy