title: Persistent outer retinal defect after successful macular hole repair.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report two cases of a persistent outer retinal defect evident by optical coherence tomography (OCT) after clinically successful macular hole surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective case series of two patients who had a persistent outer retinal defect by OCT and excellent visual acuity after clinically successful macular hole surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two patients with stage 2 macular holes and preoperative visual acuity of 20/70 and 20/60, respectively, underwent macular hole surgery. Although the macular holes were closed on clinical evaluation, a persistent outer retinal defect was identified by OCT in both patients. At 5 to 6 months postoperatively, the outer retinal defect became less prominent and the visual acuity remained at 20/20 in both patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An outer retinal defect by OCT may occur in the early postoperative period after macular hole surgery. Despite this defect, good visual acuity is possible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida 33136, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Moshfeghi
authors.forename: Harry W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Flynn
authors.forename: Susan G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Elner
authors.forename: Carmen A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Puliafito
authors.forename: J Donald M
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Gass
mesh_terms: D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000601:surgery; D019773:Epiretinal Membrane / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D012167:Retinal Perforations / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014821:Vitrectomy