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A macular hole is a small break that forms in the macula. The macula is the very center of your retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of your eye. You need your macula for sharp, straight-ahead vision to do things like read, drive, and see faces. A hole in the macula causes your central vision to become blurry and distorted.
read more about a macular hole ...The most common early symptom is seeing straight lines as wavy or bent. As the hole gets bigger, your central vision will become more blurry. You might also notice a small dark spot or blind spot in the middle of what you are looking at. Your side vision is not affected by a macular hole.
Most macular holes are caused by the natural aging process. The inside of your eye is filled with a gel called the vitreous. As you age, this gel shrinks and pulls away from the retina. If the vitreous is stuck to the macula when it pulls, it can stretch the tissue and tear a small hole in it. Less common causes include an eye injury or other eye conditions.
The main treatment for a macular hole is a type of surgery called a vitrectomy. A surgeon removes the vitreous gel that is pulling on the macula. Then, they put a gas bubble inside the eye to act like a temporary bandage. This bubble holds the edges of the hole together so it can heal. After surgery, you must keep your head in a face-down position for a period of time to keep the bubble in the right spot.
You can monitor your central vision at home using a simple tool called an Amsler Grid. It looks like a piece of graph paper with a dot in the center. To test yourself, cover one eye and look at the center dot. If the straight lines of the grid appear wavy, bent, or missing in any area, it is a strong warning sign of a macular hole or other retinal problem. Detecting these changes early with a daily home check can save your vision.
No. A macular hole will not close by itself. Surgery is the only way to repair it and improve vision.
If left untreated, a macular hole can get larger, and the central vision in that eye will get worse. The dark spot in your vision may grow bigger over time.
Surgery is successful at closing the hole in most cases. Your vision will likely improve, but it may not return completely to normal. The sooner the hole is treated, the better the chance for good vision recovery.
You should see an eye doctor right away if you notice any new distortion in your vision, like straight lines looking wavy. You should also see a doctor for any sudden blurry spot or dark area in your central vision. Getting a macular hole checked and treated early gives you the best chance of protecting your sight.
1. What Is a Macular Hole? American Academy of Ophthalmology. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-macular-hole. January 12, 2026.
2. Macular Hole. National Eye Institute. https://www.nei.nih.gov/eye-health-information/eye-conditions-and-diseases/macular-hole. December 4, 2024.
3. Macular Hole. The American Society of Retina Specialists. https://www.asrs.org/patients/retinal-diseases/4/macular-hole. Accessed March 31, 2026.
4. Diagnosis and Management of Macular Holes. American Academy of Ophthalmology. https://www.aao.org/eyenet/article/diagnosis-and-management-of-macular-holes. July 1, 2021.
5. Positioning After Retinal Surgery. American Academy of Ophthalmology. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/treatments/face-down-recovery-after-retinal-surgery. December 8, 2025.