What Are The Symptoms And Treatment Options For A Macular Hole?

By Author: Retinasurgeon
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A macular hole occurs inside the eyes retina. This happens when the nerve cells of the macular separate and pull away from the back surface of the eye. This affects your vision. The good news is that it can be treated successfully.

They eye is similar to a camera. It contains a lens which focuses images on the back of the area, this is called the retina and it is smothered in nerve cells that react to light, the same as a camera film. The nerve cells are close together, collected n the centre of the retina where the eye focuses the image that you see. This small portion of the retina is known as the macular.

In some cases, the nerve cells become separated, pulling away from the back of the eye and forming a hole. This is a macular hole and can affect your vision. These holes can be caused by a medical condition or injury, that affects the eye. Being very near sighted is one of the top reasons why you may have a macular hole.

Symptoms include the inability to see fine details. This is often noticed when looking at an object, even if it is close or far away. A change in vision that makes you feel like you ...
... are looking through a wavy glass and dark spots in the middle of your field of vision are all symptoms associated with a macular hole. If you close one eye you may have clear vision and when you change you notice the changes, this is because macular holes only occur in one eye. It is exceptionally rare to have a macular hole in both eyes.

If you experience any of these symptoms, then you will want to schedule an appointment as soon as possible with a reputable and experienced ophthalmologist. The ophthalmologist will use a special instrument to look at your eye and identify if there is in fact a hole in your macular. Imaging tests, known as optical coherence tornography is used to diagnose this condition, giving the ophthalmologist a cross sectional view of your retina. This helps diagnose the macular hole.

This type of eye problem usually requires urgent treatment, but there are very rare cases where the doctor may recommend leaving it and monitoring the condition, especially if you are not experiencing any vision problem and the eye is healthy in all the other ways. They may recommend more frequent eye examinations in these cases, so they can ensure that the hole doesn't grow any bigger and cause problems. Ensure you attend every appointment, do not cancel or postpone, as once it gets worse, it will not go away on its own.

If you experience decreased vision and the hole is small, the ophthalmologist may recommend a drug or gas bubble, which is injected into the eye, releasing the traction that is caused by the macular hole. Releasing the traction of a small hole may help the hole to close on its own. Not everyone can have this treatment.

In the majority of cases, a macular hole requires surgery. This is performed under local anaesthetic, so you remain awake, but you do not feel anything. The first part of the treatment is removing the gel like fluid, known as vitreous gel from the eye. This procedure is called a vitrectomy and is common, safe and effective.

About Us: Mahi Muqit is a leading consultant ophthalmologist, cataract and vitreoretinal surgeon at two private clinics in London, United Kingdom. He provides patients with superior service and support with a range of surgical procedures to meet their eye sight requirements. He has built up a solid reputation for his eye services in the London area as an expert eye doctor and surgeon offering surgical retina, medical retina and complex cataract surgery. He also offers surgery to patients suffering from diabetic retinopathy. Mahi Muqit is a member of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, a member of the British and Eire Association of Vitreoretinal Surgeons and the UK and Ireland Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons. To find out more, visit http://www.retinasurgeon.uk.com