What this means
to analyze if healthy fellow eyes (FE) of patients with idiopathic macular hole (IMH) present an aging-like foveal profile. 35 years) who were compared with age and sex matched controls.
A plain-English summary is on its way. Until then, this is the start of the authors' own summary.
- Who it was tested in
- Not stated
- Kind of research
- A study
The science
- Original title
- Evidence of an aging-like foveal profile in healthy fellow eyes of patients with idiopathic macular hole.
- Authors
- Julio G, Delàs B, Larena R et al.
- Journal
- Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie
- Published
- Oct 28, 2026
- Study type
- Study
- PMID
- 42946898 ↗
Abstract
Background
to analyze if healthy fellow eyes (FE) of patients with idiopathic macular hole (IMH) present an aging-like foveal profile.
What they did
This observational, comparative, cross-sectional study included 62 healthy FE (44 females and 18 males; mean age of 67.02 ± 6.35 years) who were compared with age and sex matched controls. Ophthalmologic examination was performed, including optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT-angiography (OCTA). FAZ area, superficial capillary plexus (SCP) vessel density (VD) and perfusion density (PD), central foveal thickness (CFT), external limiting membrane (ELM), ellipsoid zone (EZ) thickness, and choroidal thickness (ChT) at 5 locations. Eyes that showed any abnormal findings by OCT were excluded. The aging-like foveal profile was defined, in accordance with the literature, when the foveal structures exhibited significantly reduced dimensions compared with age-and sex- matched controls, apart from the foveal avascular zone, which is expected to be larger.
What they found
FE showed significantly larger FAZ area (p = 0.002) and reduced VD (p = 0.002) and PD (p = 0.003), reduced ELM (p = 0.001) and EZ thickness (p = 0.005) with thinner CFT (p < 0.001) than age- and sex- matched controls. Reduction of ChT was found in FE but it was not significant. Foveal characteristics of healthy FE of patients with unilateral IMH are consistent with an aging-like foveal profile. It is plausible to think that this greater physiological deterioration would exacerbate the effect of tangential vitreofoveal traction, thus increasing the risk of idiopathic macular hole. An aging-like profile emerges as one determining risk factor to develop IMH.
The authors' abstract, grouped under plain headings from its own section labels.
Julio G, Delàs B, Larena R et al. Evidence of an aging-like foveal profile in healthy fellow eyes of patients with idiopathic macular hole. Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie. 2026. doi:10.1007/s00417-026-07537-1. PMID: 42946898. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42946898/