Optical coherence tomography findings in idiopathic macular holes

Abstract

Purpose. To describe the characteristics of idiopathic macular holes (MH) on optical coherence tomography (OCT) and correlate OCT with clinical assessment. Design. Cross-sectional chart review and OCT assessment. Participants. Sixty-seven eyes with a clinically diagnosed idiopathic MH with available OCT data. Methods. A retrospective chart review and OCT assessment. Results. Based on OCT grading, 40 eyes had a full-thickness macular hole (FTMH) and 21 eyes had a lamellar macular hole (LMH). Clinical exam and OCT assessment agreed in 53 (87%) eyes when assessing the extent of MH. Six eyes (14.6%) in the FTMH group, and 3 eyes in the LMH group (14.3%) had persistent vitreomacular traction. Thirty-seven eyes (92.5%) in the FTMH group and 11 eyes (52.4%) in the LMH group had associated intraretinal cysts. Two eyes (5.0%) in the FTMH group and zero eyes in the LMH group had subretinal fluid. Intraretinal cysts were found to be more frequently associated with FTMH than with LMH (P < 0.001). Conclusion. This paper described OCT findings in a group of patients with clinically diagnosed MH. A high level of correlation between clinical assessment and OCT findings of LMH and FTMH was observed, and intraretinal cysts were often present in FTMH.

Figure 1

Optical coherence tomography of full-thickness macular holes (a) with separation of the posterior vitreous from the fovea and (b) with vitreomacular traction. Note the difference in foveal contour, as well as the presence of intraretinal cysts.

Figure 2

Optical coherence tomography of (a) a lamellar macular hole and (b) an epiretinal membrane with macular pseudohole. Note the difference in foveal contour, as well as intraretinal cysts.

Figure 3

Optical coherence tomography of a lamellar macular hole with a smooth foveal contour. Notice intraretinal cysts.