Macular Hole
Overview
A macular hole is a full thickness defect in the retina in an area known as the macula. The macula is the center of the retina. At the center of the macula is the fovea. Both the macula and the fovea function to produce sharp vision. Macular holes disrupt the function of the macula and the fovea. Patients with a macular hole often experience distortion in their central vision.
Treatment
Macular holes are corrected with vitrectomy surgery where the doctor peels off the internal limiting membrane. Patients who undergo surgery will have their eye filled with an expansile gas at the end of the surgery. Patients are prohibited from climbing to high altitudes (mountaineering) and from air travel until the gas bubble has disappeared from the eye.
Learn more about Macular Holes from the
American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS)