macular hole post op

[vancouver604]

It has been 7 weeks since I have a vitrectomy to repair a macular hole in my left eye. I have an OCT and it shows that the surgery is a success and the hole isn't there anymore.However my vision is still a bit blurry and the gas bubble hasn't fully dissipated. Will my eyesight be back to what it was before the problem (my prescription was minus 0.75) or is it normal that a patient's vision would worsen after such surgery?

Thanks.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS]

Macular hole surgery is very delicate surgery and the post-opertive course, as well as the final results, varies widely from individual to individual. Among the reasons for this is the size, location and depth of the macular hole pre-operatively and the fact that people heal at different rates. Resideual gas in the eye does interfer with vision in many cases. Visual recovery after macular hole surgery can take six to twelve months to achieve the maximum result.

By the way, visual acuity cannot be determined from the glasses prescription. The important information is what your best vision with the best glasses was prior to surgery. (example 20/200 with glasses).

Your individual case can only be assessed by your ophthalmologist (EyeMD) that did the surgery, knows your pre-operative condition, and--by examination--your recovery status. Your ophthalmologist is the person to turn to for the answers to your questions.

Good luck with your recovery, macular hole surgery requires a lot of patience in the healing process.

JCH MD

[vancouver604]

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my query which has been a great help.

[pussercat]

A related discussion, Do I need two different doctors? was started.