Idiopathic Macular Hole

Macular holes are more common in females than in males and usually occur after age 55. There is a high rate of macular hole formation in the fellow eye (10%-15%) in the 5-year period after a macular hole occurs in the first eye.

Patients with vitreous traction and no macular hole (stage 1-A or 1 -B) should be observed without treatment, because they often remain stable or even improve. Currently, there is no evidence that treatment improves the prognosis.

Most patients with stage 2 to 4 macular holes will have a poor prognosis without treatment. The visual prognosis is good following successful macular hole closure. The benefits of treatment designed to achieve macular hole closure should be discussed.

Studies report that approximately 90% of recent macular holes that are ≤400 μm can be closed with vitrectomy surgery.

The early detection of a macular hole is associated with both a higher closure rate after vitrectomy surgery as well as better postoperative visual acuity.

Careful removal of the internal limiting membrane (ILM) during vitrectomy surgery increases the macular hole closure rate without adversely affecting the visual acuity.

Cataract is a frequent complication of vitrectomy surgery to repair macular holes. This risk should be discussed with patients preoperatively, and postoperative monitoring is advised. (, , )