Spontaneous Resolution of Macular Lamellar Hole; A Case Report and Review of Literature

To report a case of spontaneous closure of macular lamellar hole, and to discuss its probable mechanisms.

A 70-year-old woman with a diagnosis of SLE and chronic usage of hydroxychloroquine, presented to our clinic for routine retinal examinations. Her best corrected visual acuity was 7.10 in both eyes, with a senile lens opacity and no sign of retinal HCQ toxicity. On examination and macular OCT of her left eye, a thick epiretinal membrane with the adjacent lamellar hole was detected. As there were no indications for surgical intervention, she was followed without any treatment. On 1-year follow-up examination, the ERM was seen but the hole was closed, and macular OCT of the left eye approved spontaneous closure of the hole.

Herein we report a case of spontaneous resolution of the macular lamellar hole, an event not reported in the literature, in addition to presenting a brief review on pathophysiology and treatment of ERM and lamellar holes. Although the resolution of retinal edema or change in ERM can alter tractional features of a macular hole resembling spontaneous whole closure, in our case there was no retinal edema, and the epiretinal membrane showed no change on follow-up examinations.