Reopening of macular holes after initially successful repair.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the frequency and prognosis of reopening of a macular hole after initially successful repair in a defined patient cohort.

DESIGN

Retrospective consecutive noncomparative case series.

PARTICIPANTS

Seventeen cases of reopened macular holes among 390 cases of idiopathic macular holes that previously had undergone macular hole surgery were studied.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Assessment of demographics, visual acuity, preoperatively, postoperatively, after reopening of macular hole and after reoperation, if applicable, and precipitating factors.

RESULTS

There were 17 (4.8%) of 353 cases in which the macular hole reopened after initial successful surgical closure. The mean visual acuity before reopening was 20/48 and was 20/133 after reopening. Twelve eyes underwent reoperation with improvement to a mean visual acuity of 20/54. The five eyes that were not reoperated on maintained a mean visual acuity of 20/200. Ten of the eyes had undergone cataract surgery between macular hole surgeries, but in only one did the reopening appear to occur in association with this procedure.

CONCLUSIONS

Reopening of a previously successfully operated macular hole is uncommon and seems to be a spontaneous event. Reoperation generally yields results similar to those present before the reopening. Reopening of a macular hole associated with cataract surgery is rare.