Abstract: Objective To exploring the changes of subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) of two different types of macular holes before and after surgery to investigate the correlation between SFCT and their postoperative recovery. Design Retrospective cohort study. Participants From August 2021 to January 2022, 50 patients diagnosed with macular hole and treated with vitreo retinal surgery in the Ophthalmology Center of Weifang Medical College Affiliated Hospital were included. Methods The study subjects were divided into three groups: idiopathic macular hole (IMH) group, highly myopic macular hole (HMMH) group, and normal control group. The follow-up time points for the IMH and HMMH groups were preoperative, postoperative of 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months. Changes in SFCT were observed and the differences and similarities in SFCT value changes between the IMH and HMMH groups were compared. Main Outcome Measures SFCT and the closure status of the macular hole. Results The SFCT values of the normal control group, preoperative IMH group, and HMMH group decreased sequentially (F=71.33, P<0.001). The closure rate of macular holes in the IMH group after surgery was 91.4%, which was better than the 53.3% in the HMMH group. There were significant differences in SFCT values between the macular hole closure group and the non-closure group at each follow-up time point in both groups (P=0.001, P<0.001, P<0.001, P<0.001). In the IMH group, the SFCT values decreased sequentially 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after surgery compared to preoperative values, with significant differences (F=37.89, P<0.001). In the HMMH group, the SFCT values decreased sequentially 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after surgery, and were smaller 1 week after surgery than preoperative values (F=7.828, P=0.002). During the 1-week to 1-month postoperative period, the change in SFCT values was greater in the HMMH group than in the IMH group (P=0.001). In the IMH group, the base diameter of the macular hole was correlated with choroidal thickness 1 month after surgery (r=-0.345, P=0.043). In both the IMH and HMMH groups, the base diameter of the macular hole was correlated with the height of the macular hole (P≤0.001, 0.004). The base diameter of the macular hole was smaller in the IMH group than in the HMMH group (P=0.045). Conclusion After MH surgery, SFCT values will temporarily increase and then gradually decrease. Within 2-4 weeks postoperatively, the SFCT value in the fellow eye with HMMH decreases more significantly than in the fellow eye with IMH. SFCT may be an important factor that affects postoperative healing of macular holes. (Ophthalmol CHN, 2023, 32: 148-153)

Key words: macular hole; , choroid thickness