Long-term Visual Outcomes in Patients With Idiopathic Macular Hole Surgery

This study assesses long-term outcomes following surgical repair of idiopathic full-thickness macular holes (FTMHs) in patients with at least 5 years of postoperative follow-up.

A retrospective study evaluated patients diagnosed with idiopathic FTMH who received surgical repair at a single tertiary center with at least 5 years of postoperative follow-up. Data collection included demographic and preoperative characteristics along with macular hole structural integrity as determined by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). Functional and structural improvement were assessed by collection of visual acuity and findings on OCT at determined time points until 9 years of follow-up.

The study comprised 90 eyes of 80 patients with a mean age of 67.2 ± 6.8 years, with an average postoperative follow-up of 80.8 ± 17.4 months (range 54 to 130 months). The mean macular hole diameter was 239.7 µm ± 92.2. Macular hole reoperation occurred in four eyes (4%) at a mean duration of 5.5 ± 6 months (range 0.3 to 13 months). Over the study duration, ellipsoid zone (EZ) integrity was maintained in 67.8% of eyes, with an absence of intraretinal fluid (IRF) in 96% on final OCT. The preoperative mean Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) best visual acuity (BVA) of 51 improved to a mean BVA of 76 at 5 years postoperatively, with an average gain of 24 letters at one year that remained stable over 5 years (P < 0.05). Eight years after surgical repair, more than 80% of patients achieved a BVA > 65.

Vitreoretinal surgery for idiopathic FTMH resulted in successful hole closure and sustained visual acuity improvement over long-term follow-up. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 2025;56:15-22.].