[Functional and morphological correlations in macular hole surgery]

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Retinal Surgery
• Vision Science

Background:

• Macular hole surgery aims to restore visual function.
• Understanding the correlation between structural and functional recovery is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To correlate functional and morphological outcomes 12 months after macular hole surgery.
• To evaluate the regeneration of the photoreceptor inner and outer segment (IS/OS) line.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study of 16 patients undergoing transconjunctival 23-gauge vitrectomy with ILM peeling.
• Preoperative and postoperative assessments included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), microperimetry (MP-1), and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).
• Evaluation of the IS/OS line integrity and correlation with microperimetry data.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in BCVA, macular sensitivity, and fixation was observed 12 months post-surgery.
• Regeneration of the IS/OS line was noted by 3 months and significant by 12 months.
• Preoperative IS/OS defect extent, particularly in the parafoveal region, predicted postoperative macular sensitivity.

Conclusions:

• Successful macular hole surgery leads to correlated morphological and functional improvements.
• The preoperative IS/OS defect is a predictive parameter for postoperative macular sensitivity.
• Postoperative visual acuity prediction requires consideration of multiple clinical and anatomical factors.