Internal limiting membrane removal for traumatic macular holes.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate a new surgical technique for traumatic macular holes and to provide epidemiological information for such holes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane (ILM) removal but without adjuvant use on 17 consecutive eyes.

RESULTS

The hole closed in 100% of eyes. Vision improved > or = 2 Snellen lines in 16 eyes (94%). The macula showed additional trauma-related damage in 10 eyes (59%). No permanent complication related to ILM removal was seen. Among 4440 eyes with contusion trauma in the United States Eye Injury Registry, the risk of macular hole formation is 9 times higher in eyes closed than with open globe injury (1.4% versus 0.15%).

CONCLUSIONS

Without introducing special risks, removal of the macular ILM appears to be a highly successful surgical option in improving vision in eyes with traumatic macular holes. The majority of eyes benefit from ILM removal, even when additional traumatic macular pathology is present.