The macular hole is a disease that reaches the center of the retina, called the macula, forming a hole that grows over time and causes gradual loss of vision. This region is the one that concentrates the largest amount of visual cells, so this situation causes symptoms such as loss of sharpness of central vision, distortion of images and difficulty in activities such as reading or driving.
After confirmation of the disease by the ophthalmologist's evaluation and exams, such as tomography, it is necessary to perform the treatment of the macular hole, the main form of which is through surgery, called Vitrectomy, which consists of the application of a content with gas that allows the hole healing.
What are the causes
The exact causes that lead to the development of the macular hole are not fully understood, so anyone can develop the disease. However, some risk factors facilitate its emergence, such as:
- Age over 40 years; Eye injuries such as strokes; Inflammation of the eye; Other eye diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy, cystoid macular edema or retinal detachment, for example;
The macular hole develops when the vitreous, which is the gel that fills the eyeball, detaches from the retina, which can lead to the formation of a flaw in the region, which causes damage to the affected tissue.
By affecting the retina, which is a very sensitive and important region of the eyes, vision is affected. Check out other important diseases that affect the retina, especially over 50 years of age, such as retinal detachment and macular degeneration.
How to confirm
The diagnosis of the macular hole is made with the evaluation of the ophthalmologist, through the mapping of the retina, associated with the performance of imaging tests such as tomography of the eye, or OCT, which visualizes the layers of the retina in more detail.
Check out how the retinal mapping exam is done and what diseases you can identify.
Main symptoms
Symptoms of the macular hole include:
- Reduction of sharpness of images in the center of vision; Difficulty seeing, especially during activities such as reading, driving vehicles or sewing, for example; Double vision; Distortion of images of objects.
Symptoms appear and worsen as the macular hole grows and reaches larger areas of the retina, and may not cause symptoms in the early stages. In addition, only one or both eyes can be affected.
How to treat
The treatment of the macular hole depends on its degree and severity, as in the most initial cases only observation can be indicated.
However, in cases where there is growth of the lesion and the presence of symptoms, the main form of treatment is through Vitrectomy surgery, which is done by the ophthalmologist by removing the vitreous and then applying a gas inside the eye., which is able to relieve the pressure that causes the hole, aiding closure and healing.
As time goes by, the gas bubble that is formed is reabsorbed by the body and dissolves naturally, without the need for further interventions. Post-operative recovery can be done at home, with rest, application of eye drops and positioning of the eyes as directed by the doctor, and the vision is recovered over the days, while the gas bubble is reabsorbed, which can last from 2 weeks to 6 months.
