What Are the Symptoms of a Macular Hole?
If you have noticed your central vision becoming blurry or you feel like your looking through dense fog or wavy glass, you may have a macular hole. A macular hole is a hole or tear within the macula that is most often caused by the aging process. Fortunately, many retinal conditions, including macular holes, may be treated to help preserve and improve vision. If you have experienced the following macular hole symptoms, we encourage you to contact Monterey, CA ophthalmologists Eric J. Del Piero and Leland H. Rosenblum to learn more about your treatment options.
What Is a Macular Hole?
In order to understand what a macular hole is, it's necessary to understand a little about the anatomy of the eye and how the eye works. The eyes contain a lens, which focuses light (or images) to an area at the back of the eye called the retina. At the center of the retina is a compact group of light sensing nerve cells, called the macula, that are responsible for focusing images. A macular hole may occur when the nerve cells of the macula tear or separate and pull away from the retina.
Macular holes most commonly develop as a result of the aging process but may also form as a result of an eye injury or severe near sightedness.
The Symptoms of Macular Holes
It's important to be aware of the symptoms of macular holes in order to seek a diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible. With that said, it should be noted that symptoms typically affect one eye as it is rare for a macular hole to develop in both eyes. The symptoms of macular holes include:
- A dark spot in the middle of the field of vision
- Blurred or distorted central vision
- Difficulty seeing fine details when looking directly at an object regardless of how close or far away the object is
- It feels like you're looking through wavy glass
- It feels like you're looking through thick fog
Diagnosis and Treatment for Macular Holes
A macular hole is diagnosed through imaging tests called optical coherence tomography. This test allows eye doctors to take a cross sectional look at the retina. Once a macular hole is diagnosed, the appropriate treatment may be administered.
Small macular holes that cause vision problems may be treated through a medical injection into the eye. This injection helps the macular hole to close. Small macular holes that don't disturb the vision may be left alone but monitored closely through regular eye exams. Large macular holes that impact vision may be treated with surgery.
Learn More about Treatment for Macular Holes
Once a macular hole begins to form, it won't close on it's own but may be treated by an experienced eye doctor. If you have experienced any of the symptoms of a macular hole, you are encouraged to schedule a consultation with the team at Monterey County Eye Associates.