FULL-THICKNESS MACULAR HOLE FORMATION FOLLOWING PANRETINAL PHOTOCOAGULATION FOR PROLIFERATIVE DIABETIC RETINOPATHY.

PURPOSE: To report two patients who developed full-thickness macular holes following panretinal photocoagulation for proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

METHODS

Case series.

RESULTS

Case 1 was a 58-year-old woman with Type 1 diabetes mellitus and proliferative diabetic retinopathy and Case 2, a 72-year-old man with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Before panretinal photocoagulation, each patient had an epiretinal membrane and an irregular foveal contour noted on optical coherence tomography. At 2 months follow-up, each patient showed foveal floor thinning and Case 2 also had a lamellar macular hole. At 6 months follow-up, each patient had a full-thickness macular hole. Each were successfully repaired with vitrectomy, membrane peeling, and gas tamponade.

CONCLUSION

The relationship between hole formation and previous panretinal photocoagulation in the patients reported here is unclear and possibly coincidental.