Pediatric macular hole associated with vitreoretinal traction on epiretinal lesions - a case report and literature review

Purpose: We describe a case of non-traumatic macular hole in a pediatric patient associated with numerous epiretinal lesions throughout the macula.

Methods: A healthy 9-year-old girl presented to retina clinic with several months of blurry vision in the right eye. Clinically, there was a full-thickness macular hole with serous detachment and white epiretinal tufts. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography confirmed the presence of the full-thickness macular hole with hyperreflective epiretinal proliferations in the right eye and an unremarkable left eye. Systemic work-up was negative. After a short period of observation, the patient underwent vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peel and 14% C3F8 gas tamponade in the right eye. Multiple intraoperative samples were sent for further testing, which were also negative.

Results: At one and six-month postoperative visits, examination showed successful closure of the full-thickness macular hole with resolution of the subretinal fluid and improved visual acuity.

Conclusion: Non-traumatic macular holes in pediatric patients warrant systemic and ocular work-up, including fluorescein angiography and lab testing. Good anatomic and visual outcomes are generally seen with spontaneous and surgical closures of macular holes in this age group. Early vitrectomy with histological analysis of ocular samples should be considered in pediatric macular hole cases associated with vitreoretinal traction, especially those with epiretinal abnormalities.