MACULAR MORPHOLOGY AFTER MACULAR HOLE SURGERY USING THE INVERTED INTERNAL LIMITING MEMBRANE FLAP TECHNIQUE

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Retinal Surgery
• Macular Diseases

Background:

• Idiopathic macular holes are a common cause of vision loss.
• The inverted internal limiting membrane (ILM) flap technique is used in macular hole surgery.
• The impact of postoperative ILM flap morphology on outcomes is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the influence of excess inverted ILM flap covering the fovea after idiopathic macular hole surgery.
• To assess the effect on postoperative visual acuity and macular morphology.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 66 patients with idiopathic macular holes.
• Vitrectomy with inverted ILM flap technique.
• Patients grouped by parafoveal ILM morphology: normal (N), detached (D), or proliferation (P).
• Follow-up for at least 6 months, measuring best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and retinal thickness.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in preoperative or postoperative BCVA or central retinal thickness (CRT) among groups.
• Postoperative inferior parafoveal retinal thickness varied significantly between groups (P vs. N, P < 0.008; N vs. D, P < 0.004).

Conclusions:

• Postoperative inverted ILM flap morphology (normal, detached, or proliferated) does not influence postoperative best-corrected visual acuity or central retinal thickness.
• The study suggests that ILM flap morphology has no detrimental effect on visual outcomes in idiopathic macular hole surgery.