Purpose: Ocriplasmin injection may close some small-to-medium macular holes associated with vitreoretinal traction. If the treatment fails, does vitrectomy and gas injection yield the same results as primary surgery? Material and Methods: We report a retrospective case series study of 3 eyes of 3 consecutive patients operated on a few months after initial intravitreal injection of ocriplasmin and enlargement of the macular hole. The minimal follow-up period after surgery was 18 months. Results: Surgery was uneventful in all cases. Vitrectomy, internal limiting membrane peeling, and gas injection allowed closing of the 3 macular holes with a progressive improvement in visual acuity over time. Before ocriplasmin injection, visual acuity ranged from 20/60 to 20/32, after failed ocriplasmin injection from 20/80 to 20/40, and at the final follow-up after 18 months from 20/32 to 20/25. Conclusion: Vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling leads to closure of macular holes even in cases of prior failure to close them by ocriplasmin injection.

Keywords:
Macular hole surgery, Retina, Vitreolysis
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© 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel
2018
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