Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 10:26:21 -0400
You only had small hard drusen in both eyes and we could not even say you had macular degeneration. Drusen can cause some distortion depending on their location and since all else looked normal, we attributed the distortion in the right eye to the drusen clumping. The symptoms will likely remain. Your findings are not uncommon. You do not have central serous retinopathy ---we would have seen that. All testing was otherwise negative.
I am not concerned about any other diagnoses. You could discuss with your medical doctor and they could get an MRI of your head to make sure all is well but I do not know of anything that can cause distortion in one eye that would be seen on an MRI. It may help relieve your concerns however.
If you would like to get another opinion, you can see one of my colleagues here (there are 9 other retina docs here) or someone in charlotte which may be closer Or I can refer you to anyone in the US that you would like to see---there are some medical retina specialists at Hopkins in Baltimore where I did all of my training in the early to mid 1990s. Happy to help!
Drusen do not cause pain. Your eyes may feel dry from straining and you can use over the counter artificial tears to lubricate them and improve comfort.
PLEASE don't worry about your eyes!!!!! Would you like to talk with our social worker? She is wonderful!
hope that helps.
My husband was just dianosed with Central Serous Retnopathy. This could be what you have and is being overlooked. Were you checked for this, did they do a bunch of eye tests including pictures of the eye checking fluid level, etc, pressure and most of all did you get a floursien study done this will definelty tell if it is Macualr degenration or the above what I mentioned. My husband went to a retina specific place in manahattan here is the link and I wish you well as I know what my husband is going thru. If it is what I mentioned CSR the progniss is good. Here is the site.
http://www.vrmny.com/index.html
if you are not in the NY tristate area, they are nationally known you can call their offices and maybe if you speak to the receptionsit they can have a referall for you of a doctor in your state.
Can my problem improve over time,would taking lutein help.
Assuming it would be able to improve it would take a LONG TIME. The only "real" treatment is either waiting and watching or the extreme (lasers)
,Ever thing I read about,Straight lines and letters appearing bent,it talks about WET MACULAR DEGENERATION that the doctors say i do not have. I did know that a small dry drusen could be the problem,
Was you checked by ophthalmoscope only?
From what I know drusen can cause distortion try to speak to the ny office tell them your desperate and can ask them question consult over phone
Hi one more thing my husband sees the same way described by you.
rus:
no. i dont know how it is in Russia, but here in the U.S. nobody can make it through multiple eye examinations at a retinal specialist AND at a university referral site and just be "checked by ophthalmoscope only". one has to assume that if they were seen by multiple docs, they had multiple tests other than direct ophthalmoscopy.
alchris: yes, CSR is technically possible in the case of this poster...but a little unlikely for a diagnosis like that to get past multiple docs including a retinal specialist.
(((i dont know how it is in Russia, but here in the U.S. nobody can make it through multiple eye examinations at a retinal specialist AND at a university referral site and just be "checked by ophthalmoscope only". one has to assume that if they were seen by multiple docs, they had multiple tests other than direct ophthalmoscopy))).
Can, can, can... I hope, that nobody...
Let wait post from 5234 (after fluor. angiography, i hope).
Thanks to Alchris
ever test was done at all 3 doctors,oct image,fundus image,die in arm 2times,threshold test and retintus thickness 2times.ALL THEY COULD FIND WAS A FEW SMALL HARD DRUSENS ,THAT THEY DID NOT FEEL WAS MY PROBLEM. THANKS,
no. if multiple docs have looked and come up with a diagnosis of 'drusen', then thats probably whats causing your distortion. drusen certainly can cause distortion as you describe. nothing really you can do about it. wait and see...