Outcomes of Idiopathic Full-Thickness Macular Hole Surgery: Comparing Two Different ILM Peeling Sizes

Purpose. This study aimed to show the impact of different extents of internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling on visual and anatomical outcomes following idiopathic full-thickness macular hole (FTMH) surgery. Methods. In this single-center prospective study, patients with idiopathic FTMH underwent standard pars plana vitrectomy with two different extents of ILM peeling: 2-disc diameters (DD) or 4 DD. The main outcome measures were the closure rate of the holes based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings at three months after surgery. Results. Forty eyes from 39 patients were enrolled in the study. After three months, anatomical closure was achieved in 78% and 76% eyes in 2 DD peel and 4 DD peel groups, respectively. From 29 eyes with macular hole index (MHI) ≤ 0.5, type 1 closure was achieved in 42% eyes receiving a 2 DD ILM peel, compared to 66% eyes receiving a 4 DD peel p=0.041. In comparison, this significant difference was not seen in the subgroup of MHI > 0.5 p=061. In the subgroup of subjects with baseline MHI ≤ 0.5, visual improvement was significantly more in eyes with 4 DD ILM peeling p=0.034, which was not seen in the MHI > 0.5 subgroup p=0.61. Conclusion. In patients with idiopathic full‐thickness macular hole (MHI ≤ 0.5), a larger ILM peel of 4 DD appears to yield better anatomical outcomes than a more limited 2 DD peel.