title: High-resolution imaging of photoreceptors in macular microholes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess photoreceptor structure in macular microholes by using adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (AO-SLO) and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and compare with visual acuity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen eyes from 12 patients with macular microholes underwent a full ophthalmologic examination and imaging with a fundus camera, SD-OCT, and an original prototype AO-SLO system at each visit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All eyes had a cone outer segment tip line disruption and a normal retinal pigment epithelium line on SD-OCT images. Adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy revealed foveal cone disruption (13 eyes, round or oval; 1 eye, T-shaped) in all eyes. Cone disruption area (mean = 14,805 ± 9120 μm(2); range, 3495-35,901 μm(2)) positively correlated with logMAR visual acuity at the first visit (P = 0.015, rs = 0.679). During the follow-up period, cone disruption area increased in two eyes, was stable in seven eyes, and decreased in five eyes. At the last visit, cone disruption area (mean = 8717 ± 7432 μm(2); range, 0-25,746 μm(2)) also positively correlated with logMAR visual acuity (P = 0.035, rs = 0.610). In one patient with bilateral microholes and no apparent vitreous traction, lesion size gradually increased. Cone disruption area decreased and visual acuity improved following oral prednisone therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cone disruption occurs in eyes with macular microholes and a larger cone disruption area translates into a poorer visual acuity. Macular microholes, which are commonly observed as foveal cone inner and outer segment disruptions, may occur in eyes with or without vitreofoveal traction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Sotaro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ooto
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hangai
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Kohei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takayama
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ueda-Arakawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Makiyama
authors.affiliation: NIDEK Co., Ltd., Gamagori, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hanebuchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Nagahisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017949:Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D012167:Retinal Perforations / Q000473:pathology*; D012607:Scotoma / Q000473:pathology; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: adaptive optics; macular microhole; optical coherence tomography; scanning laser ophthalmoscopy