title: Long-term follow-up after vitrectomy to treat idiopathic full-thickness macular holes: visual acuity and macular complications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To assess time-course changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) up to 5 years after vitrectomy to treat idiopathic full-thickness macular holes (MHs) and identify the relationship of the changes to postoperative complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three consecutive patients with an idiopathic MH underwent vitrectomy without adjuvant treatment. BCVA and complications were assessed postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-two of 23 (95.7%) MHs closed after the first surgery, with a final anatomic success rate of 100%. The time course of the BCVA was analyzed in 20 cases in which data were obtained for over 5 years. The BCVA improved by 0.43 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) unit 6 months postoperatively (P < 0.001) and continuously improved by 0.05, 0.06, and 0.07 logMAR units between 6 months and 1 year, 1 year and 3 years (by 0.11 logMAR unit between 6 months and 3 years; P = 0.049), and 3 years and 5 years (P = 0.018) postoperatively, respectively. Macular complications developed in seven (35%) of the 20 cases; the mean BCVA at 5 years in these cases was significantly (P < 0.001) worse than in cases without complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The BCVA might improve gradually for 5 years after vitrectomy to treat MHs. However, the macular complications that can develop postoperatively could limit that possibility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita.
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakaguchi
authors.forename: Masahito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohji
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oshima
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ikuno
authors.forename: Fumi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gomi
authors.forename: Naoyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Motohiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamei
authors.forename: Shunji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kusaka
authors.forename: Kohji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishida