Bilateral CHRPE

[EyeChick924]

I'm a second year optometry student and while practicing fundoscopy a fellow student found a small, poinpoint CHRPE in each of my eyes (only one in each eye). I have had them checked by two optometrists (one in the eye center and one in lab) and both doctors told me they are almost too small to document and that they are not linked to FAP or Gardner's (I have no family history of any colon cancer). However, after hours of google searching it is evident that it is atypical for them to be bilateral. Should I be concerned of FAP?

[JohnHaganMD]

You were told correctly. Mellow out. Congential hypertrophy of the retinal pigmented epethelium is so common and benign that unless it is very large I don't document.  usually I will mention it to them so they know its there but tell them not to worry.

[EyeChick924]

Even though it is bilateral? When would you consider FAP?

[JohnHaganMD]

According to this study  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8883546  RPE hypetrophy occurs in about 5.5 % of normal individuals and FAP occurs in about 1 in 7000 to 22000 people.  Thus REPHypertrophy has no value in predicting FAP in people with no family hx of FAP and no other findings of FAP.  So don't obsess on this and quit worrying if no family hx and no other findings of FAP.