Comparison of retinal vascular arcade trajectory between eyes with an idiopathic macular hole and the healthy fellow eye

Abstract

Purpose: We aimed to present a method to evaluate the retinal arcade vascular trajectory by measuring the distance between the retinal veins in eyes with idiopathic macular hole (IMH) and compare this measurement with healthy fellow eyes.Methods: In this Cross-sectional study18 patients with unilateral IMH were enrolled. We used standard fundus photographs, which were obtained from each eye with a digital fundus camera using a 55-degree lens. The calculation of the retinal arcade vascular trajectories was done by drawing and measuring 5 vertical lines within the macular area.Results: The mean age of the patients was 65±9 years. The between-groups differences of each vertical line were not statistically signi cant, except for the differences between the most temporal line, which was greater in the diseased group (9388 vs. 8322 mm; P=0.034). The ratio between the 5 th (most temporal) and the third (fovea-center) vertical lines was greater than 1 (V-shape) in 72% of eyes with a macular hole, whereas it was less than one (U-shape) in 78% of control eyes (P=0.003).Conclusions: We demonstrated that in eyes with an IMH the vascular arcade has more tendency to diverge on its path temporal to the fovea.

Macular Structure Characteristics in Unilateral Idiopathic Full-Thickness Macular Hole and the Healthy Fellow Eyes

“…Because the vitreous is usually attached tightly to retinal vessels, the larger distance between vessels may exacerbate the tangential force on the vitreomacular interface and the central macula, which also widens the foveal base. 14,15,21,22 Additionally, we also found that the CST and CFT were thinner in the fellow eye of patients with unilateral FTMH than in healthy controls, although no significant statistical differences were noted. These results were similar to those of Kumagai et al 23 This is compatible with our hypothesis that tangential traction plays a vital role in FTMH formation with stretching of the central retina.…”