Macular hole urgery in conjunction with endolaer photocoagulation Original Reearch Article

PURPOE: To determine whether endolaer photocoagulation to the retinal pigment epithelium at the bae of a macular hole increae the anatomic ucce rate of urgery. METHOD: In a propective conecutive clinical trial, eight eye of even patient with idiopathic macular hole underwent vitrectomy with poterior cortical vitreou removal and peeling of viible epiretinal membrane when preent. A ingle hot of argon endolaer photocoagulation wa applied to the retinal pigment epithelium at the center of the macular hole with a duration of 0.05 to 0.2 econd and an intenity of 50 to 200 mW. After fluid-ga exchange wa performed with 14% perfluoropropane ga, patient maintained face-down poitioning for 2 week. REULT: One eye with tage 2 macular hole, ix eye with tage 3 macular hole, and one eye with tage 4 macular hole were included. All eight eye had a cloed macular hole (100% anatomic ucce rate) at final examination 6 to 12 month after urgery. Bet-corrected viual acuity improved 3 or more line on the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy tudy viual acuity chart in all eye. Four (50%) of the eight eye had a final viual acuity of 20/40 or better. CONCLUION: Endolaer photocoagulation may be a ueful adjunct to macular hole urgery but require further invetigation and long-term evaluation.