Purpose: To measure the submacular choroidal thickness in eyes with idiopathic macular hole (IMH) compared with unaffected fellow eyes and normal control eyes.
Methods: In this single institutional retrospective comparative case-control study, 34 consecutive patients with IMH were included and compared with 30 normal age- and sex-matched eyes that were planned to have cataract surgery. The included eyes were divided into 4 groups: 41 eyes with IMH (A), 23 unaffected fellow eyes (B), 30 normal eyes (C), and 12 vitrectomized IMH eyes (D).
Results: The choroidal thickness was significantly lower in all measured points in IMH eyes versus normal control eyes (subfoveal choroidal thickness [SFCT]: 215.76 ± 66.7 vs. 288.53 ± 72.0, P < 0.001) and at most locations in comparison between group B and C (SFCT: 231.79 ± 68.6 vs. 288.53 ± 72.0, P = 0.018). No significant difference was found in choroidal thickness between both eyes of patients with unilateral IMH (P = 0.81). The choroidal thickness was not altered after vitrectomy in the mean 6 months follow-up period. A negative correlation between the apical diameter and basal diameter of IMH and SFCT (P = 0.05) (P value of 0.034 and 0.05) and preoperative best-corrected visual acuity and apical and basal diameter of IMH (P = 0.006 and P = 0.029, respectively) was observed.
Conclusion: Choroidal thickness is reduced in both eyes of patients with IMH compared with normal age- and sex-matched control eyes.
Keywords: Choroidal thickness; Idiopathic macular hole; Macular hole.