[Rate of reopening of macular holes following cataract operation].
BACKGROUND
We set up this retrospective study to examine how different the functional and morphological results are following pars plana vitrectomy (ppV) for idiopathic macular holes in phakic eyes with later cataract surgery and in pseudophakic eyes, and to what extent cataract surgery can induce reopening of idiopathic macular holes after ppV.


METHODS
A total of 189 eyes were vitrectomized because of idiopathic macular hole (37 pseudophakic, 152 phakic); 120 (22 pseudophakic, 98 phakic) of these eyes were examined at follow-up of an average of 19 months after vitrectomy. Cataract surgery was performed in 65 of the phakic eyes in this period. The functional and morphological results recorded for these 22 pseudophakic and 65 phakic eyes were evaluated.


RESULTS
In the pseudophakic eyes preoperative visual acuity was 0.14, increasing to 0.20 postoperatively (p=0.16); in 1 case (4.5%) the macular hole was not closed at the time of the follow-up examination. Cataract extraction was performed in 65 of the phakic eyes an average of 10 months after ppV. The initial VA was 0.19 before ppV and increased to 0.37 (p<0.01) after cataract surgery; in 4 cases (6.2%) the macular hole was not closed by the time of the follow-up examination, but in each case this had already been noted when the cataract extraction was done. Reopening did not occur after cataract extraction in any of these cases.


CONCLUSIONS
With a rate of 5.7% for reopening or persistence of macular holes, our results are comparable to those recorded in other studies. Cataract surgery following ppV does not influence the reopening rate of macular holes.
Hager
A
A
Augenabteilung, Asklepios Klinik Nord - Heidberg, 22415, Hamburg. anhager@gmx.de
Ehrich
S
S
Wiegand
W
W
D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D012167:Retinal Perforations / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014821:Vitrectomy