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Tasmanian macular hole study: whole population-based incidence of full thickness macular hole
Erica Darian-Smith1,2,3, Allister R Howie1,2,3, Penny L Allen1
1Tasmanian Eye Institute, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia.
Purpose:
To determine the incidence of full thickness macular hole in the Tasmanian population.
Design:
A whole population retrospective case series in Tasmania, Australia.
Methods:
Patients diagnosed with full thickness macular hole (confirmed by optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging) of both idiopathic and secondary causes were identified from April 2005 to April 2011 by a sole vitreoretinal surgeon servicing Tasmania. Baseline characteristics were recorded. The six-year incidence rate was calculated, based on the 2006 and 2011 Tasmanian census data. Incidence rates were age and sex standardized.
Participants:
One hundred forty-seven eyes of 136 patients.
Main Outcome Measures:
To determine the incidence (age and sex standardized) of full thickness macular holes in Tasmania, Australia.
Results:
Idiopathic macular holes comprised 128 (87.1%). There were 116 cases of idiopathic Full Thickness Macular Hole in one or both eyes between 1 April 2005 and 31 April 2011. The six-year incidence of idiopathic full-thickness macular holes was 24.3 per 100 000 people, 4.05 per 100 000 per year, with the highest six-year incidence observed among women aged 70-79 years.
Conclusion:
This is the first global study to report OCT confirmed incidence rates of full thickness macular holes in a relatively static Australian population sub-group.
