Idiopathic macular hole is a common ocular disease, causing severe visual impairment or blindness. The primary treatment is pars plana vitrectomy, and visual recovery depends on the status of hole closure and the function of photoreceptor cells in the macular area.
Current treatment is challenging to achieve an optimal prognosis, especially for large or refractory holes. We previously reported a pilot clinical study in which seven patients underwent vitrectomy combined with intravitreal injection of MSCs or MSC-derived stromal stem cells (SEVs).
Of the seven patients, six achieved macular hole closure, and five patients achieved satisfactory improvement in visual acuity. In one patient, a fibrous membrane formed over the retina after MSC injection and a second surgery was performed to remove the membrane. sEVs treatment was found to be safer and easier to perform than MSC treatment.
Stem cells have contributed to finding solutions to many eye diseases, including idiopathic macular hole, and have provided new hope for treating many diseases.
