[Follow-up study of traumatic macular hole].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the natural course and visual outcomes of traumatic macular hole.

METHODS

This was a case series observation study. Patients with traumatic macular hole were followed-up for 3 months or longer from August 2004 to December 2007. Examinations included best-corrected visual acuity, fundus photography and optical coherence tomography.

RESULTS

In a consecutive case series of 48 patients (48 eyes) with traumatic macular hole, 28 eyes of 28 patients were followed for more than 3 months, with an average of 14 months. Of the 28 patients (28 eyes), 16 patients (16 eyes, 57.1%) had traumatic choroidal or retinal changes surrounding the macular hole. The size of the macular holes changed in 16 (16 eyes) of 28 patients (28 eyes) during the follow-up period. Macular hole enlarged in 9 (9 eyes) of the 28 patients (28 eyes), became smaller in 1 patient (1 eyes), and closed spontaneously in 3 patients (3 eyes). Macular hole closure occurred 4.5, 3.5, and 1 month after the onset of macular hole, respectively. The closure rate was 10.7% (3/28).Visual acuity improved in all the patients with macular hole closure. Final best-corrected visual acuity ranged from 0.5 to 0.7. Retinal detachment occurred in 2 patients (2 eyes) and the occurrence rate was 4.2% (2/48). The retina re-attached and visual acuity improved in these 2 cases (2 eyes) after surgical treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Visual acuity remains stable or improves in most patients with traumatic macular hole. Spontaneous closure occurs in some cases 4 to 5 months after the onset of the macular hole with good visual recovery. Retinal detachment is rare in traumatic macular hole.