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Vitreomacular traction – a review

Eye volume 39, pages 710–717 (2025)Cite this article

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Abstract

Vitreomacular traction (VMT) is characterised by abnormal adhesion of the posterior cortical vitreous with the macula causing distortion of the foveal contour and associated with symptoms of reduction in visual acuity and/or metamorphopsia. This review article explores the pathophysiology, clinical features, diagnostic and treatment options for VMT. Advances in imaging modalities such as optical coherence tomography (OCT) have revolutionized the understanding of the vitreoretinal interface abnormalities and helps in monitoring the disease progression. The natural history of VMT is variable and either there can be a spontaneous resolution or can present with cystoid oedema or can progress to epiretinal membrane (ERM) or macular hole. In the current manuscript, we perform a major review of the existing literature on VMT and adding the details about the current investigative modalities and surgical techniques.

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Fig. 1: Sequential OCT image of VMt treated with enzymatic vitreolysis.
Fig. 2: Sequential OCT of VMT pre and post vitrectomy.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the Hyderabad Eye Research Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Standard Chartered - Academy for Eye Care Education, Kallam Anji Reddy Campus, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India

    Manasi Ketkar & Manoj P. Shettigar

  2. Anant Bajaj Retina Institute, Kallam Anji Reddy Campus, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India

    Manasi Ketkar, Vivek Pravin Dave, Manoj P. Shettigar & Rajeev Reddy Pappuru

  3. University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    Francesc March de Ribot

  4. University of Girona, Girona, Spain

    Francesc March de Ribot

  5. Jones Eye Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA

    Ahmed B. Sallam

  6. Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Yi-Ting Hsieh & Tso-Ting Lai

  7. Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Yi-Ting Hsieh & Tso-Ting Lai

  8. JEC Clinics, Jakarta, Indonesia

    Soefiandi Soedarman

  9. Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Laura Liu

  10. Asociados de Macula Vitreo y Retina de Costa Rica, Paseo Colón, San José, Costa Rica

    Lihteh Wu

  11. Commission for Cross-Sectoral Ophthalmology of the DOG (German Ophthalmological Society e.V.) and BVA (Professional Association of German Ophthalmologists), Munich/Düsseldorf, Germany

    Lars-Olaf Hattenbach

  12. Eye Clinic, Ludwigshafen Hospital, Ludwigshafen, Germany

    Lars-Olaf Hattenbach

  13. Anant Bajaj Retina Institute, Retina and Vitreous Service, L V Prasad Eye Institute, GMR Varalakshmi Campus, Visakhapatnam, India

    Avinash Pathengay

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  1. Manasi Ketkar
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Contributions

MK, VPD – Conceptualized, wrote, and finalized the manuscript. FMR, ABS, MPS, YTH, TTL, SS, LL, LW, LOH, AP, and RRP all provided critical inputs, changes and proof read the final draft and finalized it.

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Correspondence to Vivek Pravin Dave.

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Ketkar, M., Dave, V.P., de Ribot, F.M. et al. Vitreomacular traction – a review. Eye 39, 710–717 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-024-03576-2

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