Abstract
Purpose: :
to evaluate the foveal area of fellow eyes in patients with idiopathic macular hole as compared to a control group, using Spectral Domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) image. The entire physiopathology process of idiopathic macular holes is yet to be determined.
Methods: :
fifty eyes of fifty patients were studied and divided in two groups. Group 1: 25 patients with macular hole in the fellow eye and group 2: 25 healthy individuals (control group). SD-OCT horizontal cross line images were obtained using a RT-vue 100 (Opto). The widest foveal picture was selected on each patient. Three different retina specialists measured total bidimensional foveal areas using the instrument caliper. A T-test was used to verify the difference between age and foveal area for both groups.
Results: :
the mean foveal area in Group 1 was 0,159 (0,03) mm2 and in Group 2 was 0,079 (0,01) mm2. The difference between the two groups was statistically significantly (p<0,001), with Group 1 showing much larger measurements. There was no gender and age difference between groups.
Conclusions: :
foveal areas in fellow eyes of patients with idiopathic macular holes tend to be wider than in normal eyes as presented on SD-OCT. An increased foveal area in combination with other risk factors, like vitreous traction, may play a role in the pathophysiologic process of idiopathic macular hole formation. There have been few reports evaluating foveal morphology in recent years, but none have reported a correlation between an increased fovea and a higher risk for the development of macular holes. The SD-OCT is a helpful tool that allows a detailed analysis of the fovea.
Keywords: macular holes • retina • macula/fovea