How to Repair a Macular Hole

Macular holes are an eye condition of the macula, which is the central part of the eye's retina that functions similar to a camera lens. Macular holes affect vision ability and are most common in people over 60 since the membranes and structures of an aging eye can cause a plethora of eye conditions that require treatment to avoid vision loss. Learn how to repair a macular hole with these steps.

Things You'll Need

• Ophthalmologist

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Instructions

• 1

  Get an eye exam from an ophthalmologist. While an optometrist's exam may detect a macular hole, further examination and treatment are needed from an ophthalmologist, who is a certified physician (versus an optometrist, who is skilled in diagnosing and treating vision conditions, such as nearsightedness and farsightedness, but is not an MD). Macular holes cannot be treated without a proper ophthalmologist eye exam, and unfortunately, there are no home remedies or over-the-counter treatments.

• 2

  Understand the symptoms to avoid sudden "scares" regarding vision ability. Often, macular holes progress and increasingly affect vision, but the effects may seem to appear out of nowhere. Macular holes first cause distorted vision that makes objects both near and far seem out of focus, and can sometimes make patients feel that they are looking through a dense fog. The holes also cause decreased visual acuity, affecting the sharpness and clarity of objects close up, making reading difficult. Also, blind spots or one dark spot in the central visual field may occur.

• 3

  Wait it out if the ophthalmologist concludes that the hole is small and will repair itself. If this is the case, vision effects will still occur, but they will be mild. Patients should avoid straining the eyes to focus, wear protective sunglasses when outdoors and use reading glasses instead of contacts while the eye heals.

• 4

  Prepare for a vitrectomy. This is the primary surgical treatment for macular holes. This procedure involves the removal of vitreous gel (the gel-like fluid that bathes and protects the eye), and replacing it with a special combination of air and gas, which puts pressure on the macular hole and triggers healing. A crucial part of the healing process following surgery will involve a complete cessation of activity for two to three weeks and lying face-down to stabilize the affected area.

• 5

  Cancel all travel plans for the months following surgery. After the face-down recovery period is finished, the healing process is not yet complete and still requires caution. The mixture may take up to eight weeks to dissolve, and then the eye must fill back up with its own natural vitreous gel. (Be sure to make a follow-up visit with the ophthalmologist.) It could be months before the eye is normal again; and during this time, any kind of pressure is extremely dangerous, so patients are asked not to make any travel plans, especially by air.

• 6

  Understand the chance of a macular hole occurring in the other eye. AllAboutVision.com reports that patients who have had a macular hole in one eye have about a 10 percent chance of developing a macular hole in their other eye.

• 7

  Stick to regular eye exams. The best way to detect eye problems and treat them early on is to have regular eye exams. Remember that optometrists can detect eye conditions that ophthalmologists can examine and treat.