Endolaser around macular hole in the management of associated retinal detachment in highly myopic eyes.

PURPOSE

To analyze the role of endolaser around macular hole in managing associated retinal detachment in patients with high myopia.

METHODS

Review of medical records of 25 consecutive eyes of 25 patients with at least 5.00 diopters of myopia who underwent primary pars plana vitrectomy and fluid-gas exchange. In the first half of the study period, one row of contiguous argon green endolaser was routinely applied over the retinal edge of the macular hole (EL group). In the second half of the study period, endolaser was not applied around any macular hole (NEL group). Demographic information, intraoperative and postoperative complications, and final visual acuities and retinal reattachment rates were studied.

RESULTS

The mean (+/-SD) refractive error was -11.8 +/- -3.5 diopters (D) for the EL group and -11.6 +/- -5.4 D for the NEL group. The mean axial length was 29.0 +/- 1.8 mm for the EL group and 28.3 +/- 1.7 mm for the NEL group. The primary anatomic success was 62.5% (10/16) and 77.8% (7/9) in the EL and NEL groups, respectively. No statistically significant difference was found in preoperative, postoperative, or change in best-corrected visual acuities between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

Endolaser around the macular hole after pars plana vitrectomy and internal gas tamponade may not affect the anatomic or visual outcome in primary retinal detachment secondary to a highly myopic macular hole.