title: Morphological change of inner retinal layer on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography following macular hole surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the morphological changes of the inner retinal layer by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) after idiopathic full-thickness macular hole (MH) surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a retrospective study, the authors evaluated 52 eyes of 49 patients with MH closed following vitrectomy. All patients were followed postoperatively for more than 6 months. Cross-sectional and retinal surface images were obtained using Cirrus high-definition OCT before and after surgery. In 24 of the 52 eyes, fundus autofluorescence (FAF) was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of dissociated optic nerve fiber layer (DONFL) increased gradually over time after surgery. 57.7% had defects of only the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and 30.8% had defects in the inner plexiform layer at 6 months after surgery. Postoperative best-corrected visual acuity did not differ significantly based on the depth of the DONFL (p = 0.299). There were no changes in FAF in the area with DONFL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DONFL is characterized by progressive defects that are not limited to RNFL thickness. The healing process after vitrectomy for MH is not limited in the RNFL affecting deeper structural changes. Further investigations are required to evaluate the pathophysiological mechanism of inner retinal change after MH surgery.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors: Kook Young
authors: KY
authors: Kim
authors: Seung-Young
authors: SY
authors: Yu
authors: Moosang
authors: M
authors: Kim
authors: Eung Suk
authors: ES
authors: Kim
authors: Hyung Woo
authors: HW
authors: Kwak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D012167:Retinal Perforations / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D055211:Retinal Photoreceptor Cell Inner Segment / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014821:Vitrectomy; D055815:Young Adult