S C A N S III - M A C U L A R H O L E
BELOW ARE TWO OCT SCANS OF A MACULAR HOLE.
A MACULAR HOLE IS TYPICALLY CAUSED BY A PATHOLOGICAL THINNING OR SHRINKING OF THE VITREOUS WITHIN THE EYE. VITREOUS IS THE JELLY-LIKE SUBSTANCE THAT FILLS THE EYE AND IS ATTACHED TO THE RETINA. AS THE VITREOUS 'SHRINKS' IT PULLS AT THE RETINA AND THE MACULA. THIS TRACTION CAUSES THE MACULAR HOLE AND THE OVERALL RESULT IS DISTORTION IN OR COMPLETE LOSS OF FINE DETAILED VISION.

THE TREATMENT FOR THIS CONDITION IS A SURGICAL PROCEDURE KNOWN AS A VITRECTOMY. BASICALLY, THE VITREOUS IS REMOVED FROM THE EYE AND REPLACED WTIH A SALINE SOLUTION. THEN A TINY BIT OF THE REMAINING MACULAR TISSUE IS 'PEELED' TO PROMPT HEALING IN THAT AREA. FINALLY, THE EYE IS FILLED WITH A GAS BUBBLE THAT HOLDS THE TISSUE IN PLACE UNTIL IT IS COMPLETELY HEALED. THE GAS BUBBLE EVENTUALLY DISSIPATES AND THE EYE REFILLS WITH ITS OWN FLUID ONCE MORE. POST OPERATION RECOVERY CAN BE VERY CHALLENGING, HOWEVER, AS THE PATIENT WILL NEED TO POSITION THEIR HEAD 'FACE-DOWN' CONTINUOUSLY FOR SEVERAL DAYS FOLLOWING THE SURGERY.