The Role of Vitreoretinal Surgery in the Treatment of Posttraumatic Macular Hole

Purpose: To determine if vitreoretinal surgery is successful in closing traumatic macular holes and subsequently improving visual acuity. Blunt trauma may result in a macular hole when it causes traumatic separation of the vitreous from the retina, contusion necrosis, or subfoveal hemorrhage. Like idiopathic macular holes, traumatic macular holes are surrounded by a ring of subretinal fluid and result in severely diminished visual acuity.

Methods: Fourteen eyes with full-thickness posttraumatic macular holes were treated. The patients ages ranged from 15 years to 36 years (mean, 22 years). Preoperative best corrected visual acuity ranged from 20/200 to 20/50 (mean, 20/80). A pars plana vitrectomy and posterior hyaloid dissection were performed, followed by complete fluid-gas exchange and instillation of 0.1 mL of platelet concentrate just over the macular hole. A final flushing with 25% sulfur hexafluoride was done. The postoperative follow-up period ranged from 6 months to 28 months (average, 13 months).

Results: Successful anatomic macular hole closure was achieved 6 months after surgery in 13 years (92.86%). Visual acuity improved four or more lines on the Snellen chart within 6 weeks after surgery in every eye with a closed hole; a final visual acuity of 20/20 was achieved in two eyes (15.3%). The mean postoperative visual acuity was 20/30. No intraoperative or postoperative complications were noted, and the lens remained clear in all eyes during the follow up period.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that intraoperative application of platelet concentrate in combination with vitrectomy may be useful in managing posttraumatic full-thickness macular holes, thus improving anatomic and visual outcomes. The greater recovery of visual acuity obtained in this study compared with that obtained in other series of idiopathic macular holes could be related to the young age of the patients with traumatic macular holes and the early diagnosis and treatment.