Sep 8 2010
A speaker at the Euretina meeting, which was held prior to the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons meeting, said that the Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) has turned out to be an effective tool to identify the lamellar holes correctly.
The speaker, Marta S. Figueroa, explained that the lamellar macular holes are foveal defects with partial thickness. They are characterized by the inner macular tissue’s absence in the foveola region. The lamellar macular holes are mistaken for macular pseudoholes, because of their identical look on biomicroscopy. Hence, functional tests are less effective in differentiating the two macular entities.
Figueroa noted that when the lamellar holes are examined on an OCT, their profile shows an asymmetric, irregular foveal contour. There is a break noticed in the inner fovea, and the inner foveal layer is seen separated from the outer layer, resulting in an intraretinal split.
On the other hand, the macular pseudoholes display a verticalization in the foveal margin. This gives a cylindrical appearance to the fovea, along with a steepened foveal pit. Figueroa concluded the speech by saying that it is challenging to diagnose the lamellar holes correctly, without the information from the OCT.