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Published on: June 14, 2021
Nonprogressive extrafoveal retinal hole after foveal epiretinal membrane removal
Igor Kozak1, William R Freeman
1Jacobs Retina Center at Shiley Eye Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.
Purpose:
To report an extrafoveal posterior retinal hole after surgical removal of foveal epiretinal membrane.
Design:
Observational case reports.
Methods:
We describe two patients who underwent vitrectomy surgery with an epiretinal membrane removal. Five months after vision improving surgery, a small retinal hole outside the macular area developed.
Results:
Fundus photography and optical coherence tomography showed a full-thickness retinal hole with a surrounding cuff of subretinal fluid smaller than described in stage III or IV macular holes. The hole has been stable in shape and dimension, has not progressed to retinal detachment, and is not associated with an epiretinal membrane; the fluid is not impinging on the macular area.
Conclusions:
Asymptomatic full-thickness extrafoveal retinal holes, which do not progress to neurosensory detachment, can develop after epiretinal membrane peeling. These appear stable and have substantially smaller cuffs of subretinal fluid than typical macular holes.
