The retina’s central portion, known as the macula, is responsible for focusing central vision in the eye, and it controls our ability to read, drive a car, recognize faces or colors, and see objects in fine detail. A macular hole is when an opening develops in the macula. Macular holes will only impact your central vision, it does not affect peripheral vision. Similarly to macular degeneration, age is the most common cause of macular holes.
Symptoms of a Macular Hole
Blurry, wavy, or otherwise distorted central vision. As the condition progresses, a dark spot will appear in the center of your visual field.
Diagnosis & Treatment of a Macular Hole
To diagnose a macular hole, your eye doctor will need to get a good, clear look at the inside of your eye. The doctor will dilate your eye using drops and then examine your eye by looking through a special lens. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is also used to take scans and create images of the retina and macula. If your doctor identifies a macular hole, they will recommend treatment. A surgical procedure called vitrectomy is the best way to treat a macular hole. During the procedure, your ophthalmologist removes any vitreous causing strain on the macula. Then, a temporary gas bubble, which will naturally go away over time, is put inside the eye to hold the macula in place while it heals.