Macular Hole
Macular Hole
Macular Hole
Pathogenesis
• Traumatic Theory*
– associated with direct or indirect ocular trauma
– Trauma causes immediate macular hole
formation from mechanical energy created by
vitreous fluid waves and contrecoup macular
necrosis or laceration
– More common in young boys
*Coats G. The pathology of macular holes. Roy London Hospital Report 1907; 17:69-96
• Vascular theory:
– Age related changes of retinal vasculature
cystoid degeneration
Macular traction
Macular hole
Current theory Posterior hyaloid applies traction to
the foveola/umbo and causes it to
stretch
* Avila MP, Jalkh AE, Murakami K, et al. Biomicroscopic study of the vitreous in macular
breaks. Ophthalmol 1983; 90:1277-83
Classification
• Primary macular hole: is commonly an idiopathic
macular hole
– Caused by vitreous traction on the foveal from
an abnormal vitreous seperation
• Secondary Macular hole: caused by other
pathologies not associated with vitereomacular
traction
– blunt trauma, high myopia, macular
telangiectasia type2, diff causes of macular
oedema
Macular hole
Lamellar Macular Hole
• Lamellar macular hole (LMH) is a partial-thickness foveal defect that typically appears
on biomicroscopy as a round or oval, wellcircumscribed,reddish lesion.
• Clinical detection of early LMH may be difficult using biomicroscopy alone.
• Anatomic OCT-based features of LMH include the following:
(1) an irregular foveal contour;
(2) a defect in the inner fovea (may not have actual loss of tissue);
(3) intraretinal splitting (schisis), typically between the outer plexiform and outer nuclear
layers; and
(4) maintenance of an intact photoreceptor layer. Lamellar macular hole can be
distinguished from FTMH on OCT best by the presence of intact photoreceptors at the
base
Macular Psseudohole
• Macular pseudohole is a clinical diagnosis based on slit-lamp
biomicroscopic examination of the macula.
• Specific morphologic features are confirmed best with OCT.
• Clinically, a pseudohole appears as a discrete, reddish, round or
oval lesion in the fovea that typically is 200 to 400 mm in
diameter and similar in appearance to a small or medium FTMH.
• Slit-lamp examination of the macula can result in a false
diagnosis of FTMH, hence the term pseudohole.
• Although a large cystic lesion in the central macula also can
mimic a pseudohole, careful biomicroscopy will reveal the
difference. Optical coherence tomography with multiple foveal
line scans is 100% sensitive in ruling out FTMH.
Pre operative
parameters
vitreous adhesion to
central macula with no
demonstrable retinal
morphology changes
vitreous adhesion to
central macula , demonstrable
changes like tissue cavitation,
cystoid changes, loss of foveal
contour, elevation of fovea
OCT based anatomic classification of FTMH