Evaluation of the functional results after different techniques for treatment of retinal detachment due to macular holes.

A total of 50 eyes with retinal detachment due to macular holes were treated in the period from July 1986 to December 1987. In all, 10 eyes underwent pneumatic retinopexy using plain room air. A total of 30 eyes were treated by pars plana vitrectomy, followed by fluid/air exchange, with no treatment of the macular break; in 9 of these the detachment recurred, reflattening of the retina by air tamponade followed by laser photo-coagulation. The other 10 eyes underwent pars plana vitrectomy followed by silicone oil tamponading because of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). This paper compares the functional results for each group. The parameters used included visual acuity, color vision and visual fields.