What is a Macular Hole?
A macular hole is a small, circular gap which opens up at the centre of the retina. This causes blurred vision and often distorted vision where straight lines or letters look wavy or bowed. There may also be a patch of missing vision at the centre.
What testing might be done?
Mr Alexander will examine your eye following the use of eye drops that temporarily enlarge your pupils. He will usually also arrange an OCT scan to determine the extent of damage from the macular hole.
How is a macular Hole treated?
A macular hole can often be repaired by an operation called a vitrectomy, internal limiting membrane (ILM) peel and gas.
If you have not already had a cataract operation, you will almost certainly get a cataract after vitrectomy, usually within 1-2 years. Mr Alexander may offer you combined surgery with cataract extraction at the same time as the macular hole repair to spare the need for cataract surgery in the near future.
Do I have to perform face-down positioning after the operation?
Mr Alexander advises patients to avoid lying on their back for 7 days after surgery. Face down positioning is usually not required.
What can I expect for my vision after vitrectomy?
If the hole has been present for less than a year, the operation will be successful in closing the hole in about 90% of cases. Of these, more than 70% will be able to see two or three lines more down a standard vision chart, compared to before the operation. It is important to understand that return to completely normal vision is not possible.