Macular hole causes blindness, Optometrist warns

Dr Progress Oyegbeda, the Chief Medical Director, Clear Vision Eye Clinic in Bayelsa, has warned that macular hole in the eyes could lead to blindness, if not treated.
Oyegbeda told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Benin that macular holes in the eyes are “a small break in the macula, located in the centre of the eye’s light-sensitive tissue called the retina”.
“When a stage-3 macular hole develops, most central and detailed vision can be lost, if left untreated; a macular hole can lead to a detached retina, a sight-threatening condition that should receive immediate medical attention.
“Macula provides the sharp, central vision we need for reading, driving, and seeing fine detail.
“A break or hole in the macula usually affects those aged 60 and above and can cause blurred and distorted central vision.
“The macula is the tiny, central area of your retina (the focusing surface at the back of your eye) that allows you to see colours, detail colour and everything directly in front of you.
“A hole in the macula can cause blurring, blank spots and distortion of your central vision.
“Patients with macular hole may have difficulty with reading and close work, and may notice grey or black spots, or blank areas, in your vision,’’ Oyegbeda said.
The optometrist said macular holes usually affect one of the eyes instead of both at once, noting that although it is possible for both eyes to be affected by macular holes.
He said macular holes usually develop over time, so one may not notice any symptoms until your vision is affected.
He said early signs of macular holes include blurring and distortion of your vision, and you may notice straight lines (such as window frames, telegraph poles or lines of text) appearing bent or wavy.
Progress listed Vitreous shrinkage and/or separation, Diabetic eye disease, High amounts of nearsightedness (myopia), Macular pucker and detached retina as some of the causes of macular hole. (NAN)