Silicone Oil Treatment for Macular Holes: Understanding the Procedure & Benefits

Choosing the right treatment can make a difference in finding a cure for macular holes and going blind. Medical specialists, such as those at the Williamson Eye Center, suggest that patients could benefit from using a treatment of silicone oil.

Background

• A macular hole is a thick, round hole that develops in the central retina. The cause of macular holes is unknown. Blunt trauma, macular edema, inflammatory conditions and high myopia are associated with the condition.

Treatment

• Vitrectomy surgery is a procedure for repairing retinal disorders and a treatment option for macular holes. Silicone oil is a special technique in the vitrectomy procedure for keeping the retina in place after surgery. The initial step of the surgery is to remove the vitreous gel from the retina and fill the hole with a clear silicone solution.

Postoperative Treatment

• An additional step of vitrectomy surgery is removal of the silicone oil from the retina. The silicone solution can stay in the retina up to three months.

Benefits

• Silicone oil treatment is a good treatment for long-term care of closing the macular hole in your eye. Patients will have clear vision and able to see through the silicone oil, according to Angeles Vision Clinic.