Eye Conditions

Macular Hole

What is a Macular Hole?

As we age, the vitreous, a jelly-like substance that fills your eye and gives it its shape, will become more watery and can cause it to collapse towards the centre of your eyeball. If the vitreous is firmly attached to the macula (part of the retina at the back of the eye), it can pull on it, causing a small tear or hole.

Your macula is the part of the eye responsible for your sharp, central vision. If left untreated, a macular hole can enlarge over time causing your central vision to blur and deteriorate, while peripheral vision remains normal.

What are the symptoms?

You may not notice any symptoms in the early stages of a macular hole, but as most macular holes enlarge over time, it will progressively impact your central vision. Common macular hole symptoms include:

 

  • > Distorted central vision (straight lines appear wavy) 
  • > Difficulty reading small print 
  • > Increasing blur of printed words 
  • > Black or grey spot in the central vision of one eye 
  • > Difficulty recognising faces 

What is a Macular Hole?

As we age, the vitreous, a jelly-like substance that fills your eye and gives it its shape, will become more watery and can cause it to collapse towards the centre of your eyeball. If the vitreous is firmly attached to the macula (part of the retina at the back of the eye), it can pull on it, causing a small tear or hole.

Your macula is the part of the eye responsible for your sharp, central vision. If left untreated, a macular hole can enlarge over time causing your central vision to blur and deteriorate, while peripheral vision remains normal.

What are the symptoms?

You may not notice any symptoms in the early stages of a macular hole, but as most macular holes enlarge over time, it will progressively impact your central vision. Common macular hole symptoms include:

 

  • > Distorted central vision (straight lines appear wavy) 
  • > Difficulty reading small print 
  • > Increasing blur of printed words 
  • > Black or grey spot in the central vision of one eye 
  • > Difficulty recognising faces 

Treatment of a Macular Hole

Most macular holes require surgery and there are two main stages to the treatment:

  • Vitrectomy surgery to remove the vitreous and insert a gas bubble into the eye to support its structure
  • Recovery period when the gas bubble pushes the retina back into place and closes the hole (the gas will be absorbed as the eye naturally refills with vitreous fluid)

The longer you have had a macular hole, the more difficult it is to recovery lost vision, which is why it’s important to see a specialist as soon as possible.

What is a macular hole?

What is a vitrectomy surgery?

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