Imaging of vitreoretinal adhesions in the partner eye of patients with penetrating macular foramina in optical coherence tomography

Background: Vitreoretinal adhesions play a crucial role in the development of a macular hole. To visualize vitreoretinal adhesion we used optical coherence tomography to investigate fellow eyes of patients with macular holes.

Methods: In a prospective study we scanned the retina in 188 patients with a macular hole stage III or IV (Gass classification). The foveal shape and vitreous were classified into grades.

Results: Of the 188 patients 45% showed no vitreous reflex, 45% a partial vitreous detachment with foveolar adhesions, and 10% a vitreous detachment with complete separation from the fovea. While eyes with normal foveolar shape displayed partial vitreous detachment in 33%, this figure rose to 66% in eyes with a macular hole stage I.

Conclusions: Diffuse thickening of the fovea is followed by an intraretinal split and formation of a cyst. The shape of the foveolar adhesion suggests that continuing anteroposterior vitreal traction leads to a retinal break and formation of a full-thickness macular hole.