Lamellar hole-associated epiretinal membrane is a common feature of macular holes in retinitis pigmentosa.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the features and surgical outcomes of macular holes (MHs) in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP).

METHODS

A review of consecutive series of 110 patients (206 eyes) with RP who underwent comprehensive ophthalmic examinations was conducted. Eleven eyes of ten RP patients were identified with MHs (full thickness or lamellar). Atypical epiretinal membrane, which appeared on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) images as a thick homogenous layer of moderately reflective material that was present on the inner retinal layer, was considered to be lamellar hole-associated epiretinal proliferation (LHEP). Five eyes underwent modified vitreoretinal surgery, where hole margin LHEP tissue was retained.

RESULTS

Nine eyes exhibited a lamellar macular hole (LMH), one exhibited a full-thickness macular hole (FTMH), and one exhibited both FTMH and LMH. LHEP was found in all eyes, identified intraoperatively as yellowish, sticky epiretinal membrane with internal limiting membrane beneath it. Two eyes experienced spontaneous closure of MHs without visual acuity (VA) improvement. Five eyes that underwent surgery achieved sealed MHs post-operatively and demonstrated improved, but limited, vision at their latest follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

LHEP is common in MHs associated with RP. While some eyes could achieve spontaneous closure without any VA changes, a conservative vitreoretinal surgery approach, in which the hole margin LHEP tissue is spared, can effectively repair these MHs with limited VA improvement.