Pathological myopic macular retinoschisis can be classified into 4 types based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) images: outer layer retinoschisis, outer + middle layer retinoschisis, outer + inner layer retinoschisis and multilayer retinoschisis. Currently vitrectomy is the major option to treat this condition as it can remove the posterior vitreous cortex completely and peel the internal limiting membrane (ILM) around the posterior vessels arch. Vitrectomy benefits the visual function significantly for outer layer retinoschisis with foveal detachment, but has no or very little effects on multilayer retinoschisis. The appropriate starting site for removal of posterior cortex and ILM should be the site without inner layer retinoschisis. The knowledge and understanding of the OCT classification of pathological myopic macular retinoschisis is important for us to chose correct operation methods and determine the prognosis after treatment.
ObjectiveTo observe the anatomical and functional changes in patients with different degrees of myopic traction maculopathy (MTM) after vitrectomy. MethodsIt was a retrospective case series study. Forty-seven consecutive patients (47 eyes) diagnosed with MTM were studied between January 2010 and May 2014. There were 38 females (38 eyes) and 9 male (9 eyes),mean age was (65.13±6.98) years, mean axial length was (29.23±1.77) mm. The eyes was divided into 3 groups according to the macular morphologies on optical coherence tomography (OCT), including macular retinoschisis only group (MRS group, 18 eyes), foveal retinal detachment group (FD group, 13 eyes) and full-thickness macular hole group (MH group, 16 eyes). All the eyes underwent minimum resolution angle in logarithmic (logMAR) best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure, axial length, A or B- ultrasonography, fundus photography, OCT and microperimetry examinations. The average logMAR BCVA of 47 eyes was 1.43±0.52. The center retinal thickness (CRT) of eyes in MRS and FD group was (528.45±167.61) μm. All the patients underwent pars plana vitrectomy combined with internal limiting membrane peeling. The mean follow-up period was 23.4 months. The changes of logMAR BCVA, microperimetry and macular microstructural were observed. ResultsAt the final follow-up, the logMAR BCVA of 47 eyes was 0.86±0.42, which improved compared with the preoperative vision (t=7.36,P<0.001). The mean CRT of eyes in MRS and FD group was (250.90±91.81) μm, which improved compared with the preoperative CRT (t=8.17,P<0.001). In MRS group, the retina was attached in 18 eyes. In FD group, the retina was attached in 11 eyes, MH was observed in 2 eyes. In MH group, recurrent retinal detachment was observed in 1 eye. The differences of logMAR BCVA and retinal sensitivity among MRS, FD and MH groups were significant (χ2=6.38, 11.08; P=0.030, 0.004). ConclusionThe macular structural and visual function in MTM eyes with macular retinoschisis only after vitrectomy are better than those in MTM eyes with MH and foveal retinal detachment.
Treatment of macular hole associated retinal detachment in high myopia has progressively evolved over the years, including the scleral buckling, simple intravitreal gas injection, pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), PPV combined with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling or transplantation and so on. Simple vitreous gas injection is less traumatic and good for the patients with small holes and localized retinal detachment. PPV combined with ILM peeling can achieve better treatment effects for small holes with wide retinal detachment. But for large holes with wide retinal detachment, PPV combined with ILM transplantation is necessary to improve the macular holes closure rate. If the ILM has been peeled before, the lens capsule could be a nice substitute for ILM. The scleral surgery can solve the problem of posterior scleral staphyloma and effectively control the elongation of the axial length. However, there is still no one surgery could deal with all the problems of high myopia, we should consider all the circumstances like the size of the macular hole and the range of the retinal detachment to choose the best individualized therapy.