PREOPERATIVE MEASUREMENTS OF MACULAR HOLE WITH SCANNING LASER OPHTHALMOSCOPY - CORRELATION WITH FUNCTIONAL OUTCOME

Purpose: To measure the dimensions of macular holes before surgery and compare them with the functional outcome. Methods: A prospective stud y of ten consecutive patients scheduled for macular hole surgery. Macu lar holes were imaged with scanning laser ophthalmoscopy with differen t laser wavelengths. Computerized image analyses were used to measure the size of the hole and the surrounding rim. Results: Eyes were refer red to three different groups preoperatively according to visual funct ion. Measurements of the longest diameter and the area of the macular hole were found to correlate well with visual function tested before a nd after surgery. All holes closed after one operation. Eighty per cen t of eyes improved two or more lines on the distance visual chart and all patients but one could read a newspaper six months after surgery. Conclusion: Preoperative size of macular hole can be used as a predict or of the functional outcome of macular hole surgery.