Analysis of Retinal Microstructure in Eyes with Dissociated Optic Nerve Fiber Layer (DONFL) Appearance following Idiopathic Macular Hole Surgery: An Optical Coherence Tomography Study

Abstract

(1) Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate morphological changes of the retina in eyes with dissociated optic nerve fiber layer (DONFL) appearance following internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling for full-thickness idiopathic macular hole (IMH) on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). (2) Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 39 eyes of 39 patients with type 1 macular hole closure after a vitrectomy with ILM peeling procedure at a six-month minimum postoperative follow-up. The retinal thickness maps and cross-sectional OCT images were obtained from a clinical OCT device. The cross-sectional area of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) on cross-sectional OCT images was manually measured by ImageJ software. (3) Results: The inner retinal layers (IRLs) thickness thinned down much more in the temporal quadrant than in nasal quadrants at 2 and 6 months postoperatively (p < 0.001). However, the cross-sectional area of the RNFL did not change significantly at 2 and 6 months postoperatively (p > 0.05) when compared to preoperative data. In addition, the thinning of the IRL did not correlate with the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 6 months postoperatively. (4) Conclusions: The thickness of the IRL decreased in eyes with a DONFL appearance after ILM peeling for IMH. The thickness of the IRL decreased more in the temporal retina than in the nasal retina, but the change did not affect BCVA during the 6 months after surgery.