Maculoschisis

[Charming]

I am 43 yo male.  I undertook a cataract surgery with a monofocal IOL implant on my right eye on 10 May.  I am considering a similar surgery on my left eye on 7 June.  Both of my eyes are highly myopic and both of my eyes had retina holes (in the peripheral) in the past, with surgerical and laser operations carried out to repair these holes, in 1978 (right eye) and last year (left eye) respectively.  

Recently I had an OCT scan on both eyes and was diagnosed "loss of normal foveal depression on both eyes.  Maculoschisis on right eye, suspicious on the left eye".  What does it mean?

The central vision of my right eye also started to be distorted at the time of having a retinal hole in 1978.  So I rely heavily on my left eye for reading.  Will the upcoming cataract surgery potentially affect the integrity of the macular of my left eye?

[Forum-OD-MP]

maculoschisis is also known as retinoschisis.  its a splitting of the retina into 2 separate layers.  i dont think there is any treatment for it, although i could be wrong.  it causes progressive central vision loss in those who have it.  a quick google yeilded the following links:

http://www.kellogg.umich.edu/patientcare/conditions/retinoschisis.html

http://www.eyemdlink.com/Condition.asp?ConditionID=394

http://www.revoptom.com/HANDBOOK/sect5k.htm

http://www.webmd.com/hw/raising_a_family/nord517.asp

i dont know if your impending cataract surgery will have an effect.  it is certainly possible b/c cataract extraction frequently causes swelling of the macula, which in my mind could worsen a split.  but you'll have to ask your surgeon.  definitely ask before the procedure.

[muppet]

I am also highly myopic (-14), 38 years old and am having cataract surgery on both eyes next month.  I have had some macular holes and CNV in the past, although nothing active in recent years.  I am also getting monofocal IOLs, so would be interested to hear of your visual outcomes from your surgery - do you still need correcting for reading and/or distance ?  All of this is a scary process, so I am keen to hear some positives ! Although my left eye has only a small cataract, my surgeon has recommended I get both eyes done to avoid huge visual differences between the two.

[Belledonna]

Do you know if macular holes are a product of an inflammatory process?
I read recently that Ra

[Belledonna]

sorry--I read recently that RA patients n Canada were studied for a period of over ten years and only 3 out of the study group of over 900 had developed Macular Degeneration.This led the doctors to think that the RA patients' anti inflammatory medication had also prevented them from developing  macular degeration--thus supporting the hypothesis that macular degeration was an inflammatory process.
My question is that perhaps macular holes also  are indicatiors of some type of systemic inflammation and that the macula might
respond to some type of anti-inflammatory medication.
Any ideas?

[Charming]

Muppet - in my case, the monofocal IOL implant on my right eye has been very satisfactory so far (eye sight of 20/30 bearing in mind of some distortion in my central vision due to macular degeneration) with essentially all the myopia (~-20) corrected.  So before I have the next cataract surgery for my left eye next week, I am relying on contact lens for my left eye and spectacles for reading.  My target for my left eye is to correct all but -1.5 of the myopia so that I will not need to rely on spectacles for near vision and reading.

I have thought about deferring the cataract surgery for my left eye since the cataract was only moderate and my left eye is the better eye which I rely on for reading.  However, I have decided to go ahead since the cataract is deteriorating and it is inconvenient and sometimes uncomfortable to wear the contact lens for long hours as well as relying on spectacles for near vision.  At the end of the day, I have to bear the risks of the cataract operation sooner or later.

To avoid the risk of simultaneous intraocular infections on both eyes, I have also decided to have the two cataract surgeries separated by several weeks.

Good luck with your surgery!

[Charming]

Belledonna - I have found a web resource (http://www.agingeye.net/maculardegen/maculardegeninformation.php) talking about studies on chronic inflammation being a possible factor in macular degeneration.  I am not sure, however, about its relevance to macular holes which I believe to be caused by vitreous traction.

[Belledonna]

Thanks! Come to think of it, my doctor also thought that vitreous traction was the culprit.