PREVALENCE OF FOVEOLAR LUCENCY WITH DIFFERENT GAS TAMPONADES IN SURGICALLY CLOSED MACULAR HOLES ASSESSED BY SPECTRAL DOMAIN OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY.

Abstract

To evaluate the prevalence of foveolar lucency (FL) in surgically closed macular holes by spectral domain optical coherence tomography. One hundred forty-two eyes of 132 patients underwent pars plana vitrectomy, internal limiting membrane peeling, and gas tamponade in a 60-month time frame. Anatomical success and FL rates assessed by spectral domain optical coherence tomography, mean preoperative, and postoperative best-measured visual acuity and surgical details were retrospectively analyzed. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography confirmed closed holes with FL in 33.7% (34/101) of eyes at 1 month, 7.3% (9/123) at 3 months, 4.6% (6/129) at 6 months, and 3% (4/133) at 12 months. Prevalence of FL in closed holes at Month 1 was lower in C3F8-treated eyes (9.5%, 2/21) compared with C2F6 (40.9%, 18/44, P = 0.03) and SF6-treated eyes (38.9%, 14/36, P = 0.05). No differences were observed at Month 3. No differences in best-measured visual acuity change were observed between closed holes with or without FL at Month 1 (-0.14 ± 0.19 vs. -0.11 ± 0.23, P = 0.48) or any of the other time points. Temporary FL is a highly prevalent feature in successfully closed macular holes. Eyes treated with C3F8 gas had lower rates of FL at Month 1 than C2F6 and SF6-treated eyes. The presence of FL in closed holes does not seem to have any effect on the visual outcomes.