title: Risk of developing a macular hole.
abstract: We followed up 45 eyes with early-stage idiopathic macular hole (mean period, 32 months; range, 7 to 87 months) to investigate their prognoses, especially in relation to the vitreous condition. At initial examination, 18 eyes (40%) showed vitreous separation from the fovea, and 10 (22%) developed vitreous separation during follow-up. None of these 28 eyes progressed to a fully developed macular hole during follow-up. Moreover, the macular disease was apparently improved in 23 (82%) of these eyes. However, of the remaining 27 eyes without vitreous separation from the fovea, 10 eyes (37%) progressed to a fully developed macular hole. We speculate that early-stage macular hole could be reversed by spontaneous vitreous separation from the fovea, and this chance may be greater than the risk of true macular hole formation.
authors.affiliation: Eye Research Institute, Boston, Mass 02114.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Akiba
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Trempe
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012167:Retinal Perforations / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000473:pathology