The natural history of macular pseudoholes

PURPOSE: To report the natural history of macular pseudoholes with regard to ophthalmoscopic appearance and visual acuity. METHODS: Thirty-six eyes of 34 patients with macular pseudoholes who were followed up for 1 year or longer were retrospectively evaluated to compare the initial ophthalmoscopic appearance and visual acuity with the most recent. follow-up appearance and visual acuity. RESULTS: Mean visual acuity at initial examination was 20/32 (median, 20/30); mean follow up visual acuity was 20/32 (median, 20/30), Four teen eyes (39%) had identical initial and final visual acuities, and 30 eyes (83%) had final visual acuity within 2 lines on the visual acuity chart from their initial examination. Four eyes had improved visual acuity of more than 2 lines, and two eyes lost more than 2 lines of visual acuity. Thirty-one eyes had adequate initial and follow-up photographs allowing comparison of macular appearance. Twenty three (74%) of the 31 eyes showed a definitive change in macular appearance. CONCLUSIONS: Visual acuity in patients with macular pseudoholes tended to remain stable, However, the macular appearance changed in 74% of eyes. (C) 1998 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.