Macular traction detachment and diabetic macular edema associated with posterior hyaloidal traction

PURPOSE: To review the clinical, photographic, fluorescein angiographic, an d optical coherence tomographic findings in patients with the diabetic macu lar traction and edema (DMTE) associated with posterior hyaloidal traction (PHT). METHODS: We performed a prospective review of nine eyes of nine patients wi th diabetic macular edema (DME) and PHT on clinical examination. The patien ts had a comprehensive ophthalmic history and examination, color photograph s, fluorescein angiography, and optical coherence tomography (OCT). RESULTS: All patients had diabetic retinopathy and DME. Of the nine eyes, e ight patients had previous focal or grid photocoagulation All nine eyes had a thickened, taut, glistening posterior hyaloid on clinical biomicroscopic examination with no posterior vitreous separation. Fluorescein angiography was performed on seven eyes, and all had early hyperfluorescence with deep , diffuse, late leakage in the macular area consistent with DMTE associated with PHT. Optical coherence tomography scans of the macular region reveale d retinal thickening in all eyes with a mean retinal thickness of : 556.9 /- 114.7 microns. In addition, eight of the nine eyes had a shallow macular traction detachment associated with PHT. CONCLUSION: Eyes with DME associated with PHT may have a shallow, subclinic al, macular detachment. Optical coherence tomography may be useful in evalu ating patients with DME to see if a macular detachment: is present. (C) 200 1 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.