AMD plus black circles

Hi my mum suffers from AMD. Since 2006 she has been troubled with seeing two large black 'circles' when she opens her eyes upon waking in a morning. These are not ordinary 'floaters', she says they are the size of a 2 pence piece. She only experiences these whilst laying down, and now says that she gets them after having been in bed only a short while (ie, before she has actually fallen asleep and woken up). If she opens her eyes they are sometimes grey and far away, sometimes they become 'closer' and darker. Once she has opened her eyes and is aware of them, and then shuts her eyes the circles appear white.Sometimes she says she experiences a kind of 'shutter ' sensation like a camera. I know my description may not be perfect but can anyone help diagnose what is wrong with my mum? She has been to the optician, who says it isnt an opthalmic problem because if she shuts one eye she can still see the circles. She has been to see a specialist at her GP's referral who also does not know what is wrong with her. Please help?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

1. See a neurologist and a neuro ophthalmologist.

JCH III MD