Idiopathic Vitreomacular Traction Managed with Initial Observation: Clinical Course and Outcomes

To review the clinical course and outcomes of patients with idiopathic vitreomacular traction (VMT) managed initially by observation.

Retrospective chart review including patients with idiopathic VMT based on clinical symptoms and findings on OCT between January 1, 2015, and February 15, 2021.

The study included 436 eyes of 317 patients with a mean age of 72.2 years ± 8.9 at initial visit and mean follow-up time of 34 months ± 19.2.

Vitreomacular traction severity grade was ascribed to each patient using previously published grading criteria. Grade 1 denoted incomplete cortical vitreous separation with attachment at the fovea and visible distortion of the foveal surface. Grade 2 included intraretinal cysts or clefts along with grade 1 findings. Grade 3 included subfoveal fluid along with grade 2 traits.

The rate of spontaneous release, grade at baseline compared with grade at final follow-up, and outcomes of interventions, if performed.

At baseline, mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/40. Baseline OCT demonstrated grade 1 VMT in 212 eyes (48.6%), grade 2 VMT in 172 eyes (39.4%), and grade 3 VMT in 52 eyes (11.9%). Among eyes that were initially grade 1, 25.0% had spontaneous release of VMT (median, 290.0 days; mean, 404.5 days ± 323.9), 50.9% remained stable, and 10.4% worsened. Among eyes that were initially grade 2, 14.5% had spontaneous release of VMT (median, 570.0 days; mean, 692.9 days ± 477.5), 55.2% remained stable, 4.7% improved, and 2.3% worsened. Among eyes that were initially grade 3, 5.8% had spontaneous release of VMT (median, 790.0 days; mean, 839.3 days ± 246.7), 28.8% remained stable, and 5.8% improved. Of the 436 eyes, macular hole development occurred in 42 eyes (9.6%). Pars plana vitrectomy was performed in 94 of 436 eyes (21.6%) with mean BCVA before pars plana vitrectomy of 20/78 and final follow-up BCVA of 20/55.

This study demonstrates the generally stable clinical course of VMT when managed initially by observation. Stable VMT grade was the most frequent outcome, and eyes with grade 1 VMT were more likely to undergo spontaneous release than eyes with grade 2 or 3.