Symptoms
The primary indicator of a macular hole is a gradual blurring of your central vision. Macular holes do not affect peripheral vision. If reading is becoming progressively more difficult, or if you are developing a dark spot in the center of your vision, you may have a macular hole.
Risk Factors
Macular holes are almost always a result of the natural aging process, and they usually occur in women over the age of 50. In rarer circumstances, macular holes can also be caused by eye injury, inflammation, retinal detachment, and other diseases.
What is the Macula?
The macula is a small area in the center of the retina that provides central vision. It is in contact with the vitreous, which is the gel-like substance that fills our eyes. The macula works with the rest of the retinal tissue to convert light rays into signals that are transmitted to the brain, producing the sensation of sight.
What is a Macular Hole?
Macular holes occur when the macula becomes damaged by the vitreous. As we age, the vitreous becomes more likely to separate from the retina. In some cases, the vitreous will separate from the peripheral retinal tissue but not the macula. It then pulls on the macula, causing a macular hole.
Can Macular Holes Be Treated?
Macular hole surgery, also known as vitrectomy, can correct macular holes and restore your central vision. Dr. Lalin performs macular hole surgery as an outpatient procedure with local anesthetic at our state-of-the-art surgery center in Morristown.
