Treatment of retinal detachment due to macular holes without chorio-retinal lesions. A seven-year follow-up study.

For the treatment of retinal detachment arising from macular holes we do not apply cryotherapy, light-coagulation, or diathermy in the area of the macula. Our method involves merely the fixation of a silastic sponge of 14-17 mm length and 7.5 mm diameter at the posterior part of the eyeball corresponding to macula and along the meridian of 12-6 o'clock axis. The sponge is stretched and then fixed at both ends to the sclera away from the posterior pole. The stretching and fixation of the sponge creates the proper indentation which closes the macular hole. By avoiding energy application we obtain better visual acuity. The present paper describes the results we have had in the last 7 years exclusively using this technique.