[Functional outcome and macular index in macular hole patients who underwent surgery with internal limiting membrane removal].

Purpose: To evaluate the functional outcome and macular index in patients with macular hole who underwent surgery with internal limiting membrane removal.

Methods: Fifteen eyes of 15 patients with idiopathic macular hole stages 2, 3 or 4 were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent conventional macular hole surgery with trypan blue staining to remove the internal limiting membrane. The best-corrected visual acuity and cross-sectional images of macular hole measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT) were evaluated pre- and postoperatively. The macular hole index (ratio of hole height to base diameter of the hole) was calculated and correlated with minimum diameter of the macular hole and postoperative gain in visual acuity.

Results: Macular hole closure was observed in all operated patients. In 86.7%, there was a visual gain of at least three lines. Macular hole index was significantly negative correlated with the minimum diameter of the macular hole (r=0.811). There was no significant correlation between macular index and postoperative gain in visual acuity (r=0.351).

Conclusion: Functional outcomes with internal limiting membrane removal were good in this group of patients. Macular index was compatible with spatial configuration of the macular hole, however visual outcomes were not predictable.