ABC Medical Center > Diseases > Macular Hole

What is macular hole?

8 December 2025

This is a low-incidence ocular pathology characterized by the presence of a small, circular opening in the central area of the retina, specifically in the macula, which can cause a considerable decrease in visual acuity.

A macular hole is most often formed by changes in the eye resulting from aging, since with age the transparent, gelatinous fluid that fills the eye and gives it a round shape, called the vitreous, usually shrinks and separates from the retina. This pulling and stretching of the retina can cause a macular hole.

To better understand this condition, it is important to remember that the retina is the layer at the back of the eye that receives light stimuli and perceives the images that will be sent to our brain. The macula is the central part of the retina, the layer of light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, which allows us to see in detail and color to perform daily activities.

Two types of macular holes are known:

  • Idiopathic or Senile: Affects older adults.
  • Secondary: Its appearance is due to eye trauma, ocular procedures, cystic macular edema, and retinal detachment.

If you have developed a macular hole in one eye, it is very likely that you may develop it in the other eye, in addition to other risk factors such as having high myopia or having previously undergone eye surgery.

It should be clarified that a macular hole and age-related macular degeneration usually present similar symptoms, but they are two different conditions that must be evaluated by a specialist.

Signs and symptoms Macular Hole

  • Blurred or distorted vision.
  • Wavy vision.
  • Decreased visual acuity.
  • Scotomas or dark areas of vision.
  • Loss of central vision.

If you experience any of these symptoms, it is essential that you immediately see a specialist, because if a macular hole is detected early, there is a higher probability of success in preserving visual acuity.

Diagnosis and treatment Macular Hole

Once your ophthalmologist analyzes your symptoms and medical history, they will perform eye tests to evaluate the retina and confirm the diagnosis, including:

  • Fundus Examination (dilated eye exam) in which the pupil is dilated with painless drops to check the condition of the macula.
  • Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), which consists of the emission of light waves to take detailed images of the retina.

Treatment for a macular hole consists, in most cases, of a surgical procedure called a vitrectomy to prevent permanent vision loss or to protect vision if the macular hole grows or causes serious disorders.

During this procedure, the vitreous gel and some tissues from the surface of the macula are removed, and a gas bubble is injected into the eye, which serves as a temporary bandage to hold the edges of the macular hole together and close it.

After surgery, it is necessary to limit movements and activities for a time so that the macular hole does not affect eye pressure and the eye can heal.

Related centers and departments Macular Hole

Internal medicine
High Specialty Surgery Center
Radiology and Molecular Imaging
Clinical Laboratory

Fuentes:

  • aao.org
  • nih.gov
  • cun.es
  • icrcat.com
  • imo.es
  • topdoctors.es
  • medigraphic.com
  • Hernández MR, González DRE, Ramos LM, et al. Flap invertido de membrana limitante interna en agujero macular grande. Rev Cub Oftal. 2020;33(3):1-9.
  • González-Cortés JH, Olvera-Barrios A, Treviño-Rodríguez HA, et al. Cierre de agujero macular estadio 2 con inyección intravítrea a dosis baja de gas perfluoropropano. Cir Cir. 2019;87(5):564-567.
  • Hernández MR, Ramos LM, Rodríguez RV, et al. Nuevas tendencias en el manejo quirúrgico del agujero macular. Rev Cub Oftal. 2018;31(1):123-131.

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