title: The significance of the external limiting membrane in the recovery of photoreceptor layer after successful macular hole closure: a study by spectral domain optical coherence tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the external limiting membrane (ELM) by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT) and its correlation with the inner segment/outer segment (IS/OS) line in patients with successful macular hole surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five eyes were divided into 3 groups according to the interval between surgery and first examination. In the first group the interval was between 6 and 12 months, in group 2 it was >12 months and ≤ 24 months, and in group 3 it was >24 months. The IS/OS and ELM of participants' eyes were postoperatively assessed using SDOCT in 2008 and 12 months later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A statistically significant association between the integrity of the ELM and the IS/OS junction line was observed in postoperative examinations in all 3 groups. Eyes with a complete IS/OS junction line had an intact ELM. Between the first and the second examinations, a significant improvement in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was noted only in group 1. A positive statistical association was also observed in group 1 between restoration of the IS/OS junction line and improvement in BCVA over follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The restoration of the IS/OS junction line is directly related to the integrity of the ELM.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Ophthalmology, University of Athens, Athens, Greece. theodossiadisg@ath.forthnet.gr
authors.forename: Panagiotis G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Theodossiadis
authors.forename: Vlassis G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Grigoropoulos
authors.forename: George P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Theodossiadis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D020419:Photoreceptor Cells, Vertebrate / Q000502:physiology*; D019591:Pseudophakia / Q000209:etiology; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D012167:Retinal Perforations / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014821:Vitrectomy