Anatomic and visual outcomes of vitrectomy for lamellar macular holes

Abstract

Background and objective: To assess anatomic and visual outcomes after pars plana vitrectomy for lamellar macular holes.

Patients and methods: Charts of 746 patients who had vitrectomy surgery with membrane peel were reviewed. Preoperative diagnosis of lamellar macular hole was based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) appearance; 16 eyes of 16 patients met the inclusion criteria.

Results: Mean acuity was 20/158 preoperatively and 20/118 postoperatively (P = .408). Central macular thickness was 377.06 µm preoperatively and 245.7 µm postoperatively (P = .002). Two eyes (13%) developed full-thickness macular holes postoperatively. Six eyes (38%) continued to have a lamellar macular defect on OCT postoperatively.

Conclusion: Despite postoperative anatomic improvement in many patients and an overall decrease in foveal thickness on OCT, this retrospective series suggests that vitrectomy for lamellar holes may not improve visual acuity.