Treatment of idiopathic macular hole with silicone oil tamponade

PURPOSE: We analyzed the anatomical and visual outcomes after surgical treatment of idiopathic macular holes with pars plana vitrectomy, internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling using Brilliant Blue dye, and silicone oil tamponade without postoperative posturing. METHODS: This was a retrospective interventional study of 10 eyes in eight patients who underwent surgical treatment of idiopathic macular holes using pars plana vitrectomy, ILM peeling using Brilliant Blue dye, and silicone oil tamponade without postoperative posturing. The preoperative staging of macular holes and postoperative anatomic outcomes were assessed using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. RESULTS: All patients were women with a mean age of 66.86 ± 4.8 years. In two patients, bilateral macular holes were present and both eyes were operated on. Stage 2 macular hole was diagnosed in three eyes, three eyes had stage 3, and four eyes had stage 4 macular holes. Anatomical success and closure of the macular hole was achieved in nine eyes (90%) after one operation. In one eye, the macular hole was closed after reoperation. The preoperative mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.15 decimal units (0.8 logMAR units). Until the end of the follow-up period, BCVA was 0.25 decimal units (0.6 logMAR units). Visual acuity was improved in seven patients (70%). In two patients (20%), visual acuity remained at the same level, and in one eye (10%), visual acuity decreased. Postoperatively, all patients reported a significant reduction of metamorphopsia. CONCLUSION: Initial results after 20G pars plana vitrectomy with peeling of the ILM, use of dye (Brilliant Blue), and tamponade with silicone oil without postoperative posturing gave good anatomical and functional outcome in terms of visual acuity and reduction of metamorphopsia. Taking into account the age of the patients, this method, which does not require prolonged postoperative face-down posturing, was well tolerated by the patients. Because the anatomical and visual outcome as well as the rate of postoperative complications are comparable to those when gas is used as a tamponading agent, silicone oil tamponade can also be safely used as a first option in surgery of macular holes. However, a longer period of follow-up of the operated eyes, as well as a larger group of operated eyes, will be required to identify long-term outcomes of this surgical treatment.