Optic disc pit maculopathy: The value of small-gauge vitrectomy, peeling, laser treatment, and gas tamponade

PURPOSE. To report the outcome of 10 patients with optic pit maculopathy (OPM) and evaluate the role of small-gauge vitrectomy, gas endotamponade, and additional laser photocoagulation treatment. METHODS. We retrospectively investigated 10 patients who underwent small-gauge, sutureless vitrectomy for OPM, detachment of the posterior hyaloid, internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling, endolaser photocoagulation on the temporal margin of the optic disc, and gas tamponade. Preoperative and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was recorded and optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging was performed. RESULTS. Seven out of 10 patients gained at least 2 lines of vision; 2 patients gained 1 line of vision. Visual improvement occurred more than 3 months after surgery. One myopic patient developed a macular hole postoperatively, resulting in a poor functional result even though complete retinal attachment was achieved. The functional outcome did not always correlate well with the OCT imaging, in which complete retinal reattachment was observed in 5 out of 10 eyes. CONCLUSIONS. The therapeutic approach should include both small-gauge vitrectomy and ILM peeling to relieve vitreoretinal traction, as well as laser photocoagulation of the temporal margin of the optic disc in order to prevent vitreous fluid from entering the subretinal/intraretinal space. In addition, the patients should be told that visual recovery can take a long time. © 2011 Wichtig Editore.