A macular hole is a small hole in the macula. The macula is the central part of the retina that helps us see fine details and small things. In most cases, it is due to the abnormal traction of the vitreous cortex, which is the gel inside of the eye.

A macular hole may occur in people over 50 years old. The most common symptom of a macular hole is the gradual decline in the central (straight-ahead) vision of the affected eye. This can occur as:

• brightness_1  Blurring
• brightness_1  Distortion (straight lines appearing wavy)
• brightness_1  A dark spot in the central vision

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) can provide more detailed views of the initial changes induced in the macula during the formation of the macular hole after the vitreous traction has occurred.

Currently, the standard treatment for a macular hole is a vitrectomy along with the removal of the internal limiting membrane. At the end of the surgery, we put a bubble of gas inside the eye to push the edges of the macular hole and facilitate its subsequent closure. It is necessary to maintain a face-down position for 1-2 days or more depending on the case. Dr. Aureliano Moreno treats macular holes using novel surgical techniques and has more than a 95% success rate with his techniques compared to the 88% success rate reported by other surgeons using traditional methods.

Click on the video below to see our macular hole procedure!