Influence of Race, Ethnicity, and Socioeconomic Factors in Idiopathic Macular Hole Presentation and Surgical Outcomes

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To characterize the influence of race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic factors on idiopathic macular hole (IMH) presentation and surgical outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with IMH who underwent surgical repair collected IMH data from optical coherence tomography scans as well as demographic information. Univariate and multivariate regression models interrogated relevant relationships. RESULTS: Of 292 eyes analyzed, 223 (76.4%) patients were White and 53 (18.2%) were Black. Mean income was $57,076.9 ± 17,794.7. Black patients presented with 0.05 mm 2 larger IMH area (95% CI, 0.01 to 0.09; P = .01) and 69.07 µm wider minimum linear diameter (95% CI, 15.05 to 123.10; P = .01). Patients with higher income presented with 3.76 µm narrower base diameter (95% CI, −6.42 to −1.09; P = .006). CONCLUSIONS: Black patients were associated with larger IMH at presentation, and higher income patients were associated with smaller IMH. [ Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 2022;53(6): 333–344.]