2MD, Ophthalmology Department, Antalya Teaching and Research Hospital, Antalya, Türkiye DOI : 10.37845/ret.vit.2023.32.15 Purpose: The macular hole(MH) is a retinal defect that involves all layers. We aimed to assess the preoperative and postoperative foveal avascular zone (FAZ) changes by using optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA).
Material and Methods: This is a retrospective study including eyes with MH. The study included 25 eyes operated and 18 healthy fellow eyes of 25 patients. The FAZ values were evaluated in the OCTA images obtained at baseline and on postoperative months 1, 3 and 6.
Results: In the patients, the mean FAZ value was 0.30±0.08 mm² at baseline whereas 0.22±0.11 mm² on postoperative month 1, 3rd month FAZ value was 0, 20±0, 11 mm² on postoperative month 3 and 0.20±0.10 mm². There were significant decrease in mean FAZ value from baseline to postoperative month 3 and 6 (p=0.030, p=0.049, respectively). The mean FAZ value on postoperative month 6 was 0.17±0.02 mm² in eyes with MH of the cases in which health fellow eyes with no exclusion criteria were included. The mean FAZ value was significantly higher in fellow eyes than eyes with MH on postoperative month 6 (p<0.0001).
Conclusion: In our study, it was found that the reduction in the postoperative FAZ value when compared to baseline persisted until month 6 after successful surgery. We consider that retinal orientation to the macula center , filling the spaces with neuroglial cells, micro-vascular damage and retinal remodeling play a role in this decrease in FAZ measurements after successful surgery.
Keywords : Macular hole, optical coherence tomography angiography, foveal avascular zone, pars plana vitrectomy, retina