Effect of internal limiting membrane removal in treatment of retinal detachment caused by myopic macular hole.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anatomical outcomes of vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane removal in highly myopic eyes with retinal detachment caused by a macular hole. Nineteen, consecutive, highly myopic eyes with full thickness macular hole with retinal detachment were treated by vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane removal, endolaser photocoagulation on the center of the hole and fluid gas exchange. In five eyes with other peripheral breaks, scleral buckling (3 cases), encircling (1 case) and barrier laser (1 case) were combined. In 15 eyes (79.0%) the macular hole was closed after the initial surgery. In 4 eyes (21%) the macular hole was reopened, but these were successfully treated with fluid gas exchange (1 case) or macular buckling (3 cases). The visual acuity was improved in 15 eyes (79.0%). In conclusion, these results suggest that the removal of the perifoveal internal limiting membrane may be an important adjuvant in the treatment of the myopic macular hole with retinal detachment.