ObjectiveTo compare the clinical effect of C3F8 and air tamponade after vitrectomy for the treatment of idiopathic macular hole (IMH). MethodsA total of 54 eyes of 54 patients with IMH that had undergone 23G pars plana vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling were retrospectively studied. All patients received optical coherence tomography (OCT) examination and the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA). They were divided into 2 groups. 26 eyes in group A were filled with air and 28 eyes in group B were filled with C3F8. In group A, 6 eyes at stage Ⅱ, 20 eyes at stage Ⅲ, the minimum diameter (Dmin) of macular hole in 14 eyes was less than 400 μm,and in the other eyes was larger than 400 μm. In group B, 10 eyes at stage Ⅱ, 18 eyes at stage Ⅲ, the Dmin of macular hole in 15 eyes was less than 400 μm,and in the other eyes was larger than 400 μm. The differences of age, course of the disease, BCVA, fundus diameter, Dmin, height, index, diameter of outer retina diameter (Dord) between the two groups were not significant (P>0.05). The basic data before surgery and the closure rate, BCVA, Dord 1 month after surgery between two groups were compared. ResultsAt 1 month after surgery, the IMH closure rate was 100.0% in group A and 92.9% in group B, the difference between these two groups was not significant (P=0.491).The closure rate of eyes with Dmin<400 μm were both 100.0% in two groups, and the closure rate of eyes with Dmin>400 μm were 100.0% in group A and 84.6% in group B. There was no statistically significant differences between two groups (P=0.480). The mean BCVA of two groups were 0.35±0.22 and 0.33±0.16 respectively. The mean Dord were (782.2±478.0) μm and(792.1±432.7) μm respectively. All cases got better BCVA (t=-7.310,-10.506; P<0.01) and shorter Dord (t=6.704,7.770;P<0.01). But there was no statistically significant differences between groups 1 month after surgery in BCVA and Dord(t=0.381,-0.800; P=0.705, 0.937). ConclusionAir tamponade after vitrectomy has the same efficacy as C3F8 tamponade in the treatment of IMH.