Autologous Iris transplant as plug for macular hole retinal detachment in highly myopic eyes.

PURPOSE: To describe the anatomic and visual outcomes of eyes undergoing autologous iris transplantation for macular hole retinal detachment.

METHODS

Seven consecutive patients with macular hole retinal detachment were enrolled in a single-arm prospective study. All patients underwent pars plana vitrectomy with autologous iris transplantation placed in the subretinal space as a plug to close the macular hole; in one case, a posterior retinal break was also closed with the same technique.

RESULTS

Seven patients (2 males and 5 females) with a mean age of 69.14 ± 7.79 years (range 58-80 years) were followed up for a period of six months. The best-corrected visual acuity improved from 2.44 ± 0.48 logMAR (20/2000) preoperatively to 1.90 ± 0.26 logMAR (20/800) 6 months after surgery. Optical coherence tomography analysis showed retinal adhesion around the iris plug, and the retina remained dry in the follow-up period.

CONCLUSIONS

In this series of macular hole retinal detachments, autologous iris transplantation placed as a plug over the retinal pigment epithelium facing the macular hole opening or directly over the bare sclera achieved anatomical success with improvement in visual function.