This guideline aims to evaluate and summarise the clinical evidence relating to the management of people with idiopathic full thickness macular holes, which can be used nationally and internationally to benefit patients.
Full thickness macular holes (FTMH) are a relatively common and visually disabling condition. They can occur as primary or idiopathic FTMH (iFTMH), and less commonly secondary, associated with a range of other ocular conditions including trauma, retinal detachment, and myopia. iFTMH occur because of age-related vitreous changes, that result in vitreous traction on the central fovea (‘vitreomacular traction’ (VMT)) and full thickness hole formation in some people.
The evidence-base to guide decision making in macular hole management is one of the more advanced domains in vitreoretinal surgery with a large range and number of RCTs and systematic reviews. iFTMH affect all ethnicities and are an internationally important cause of visual morbidity.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) accredited the Royal College of Ophthalmologists’ content development process as a mark of quality between 2015 and 2024 before closing its accreditation programme in July 2024.