optic disc enlarged

[jblairblack]

My son is 15 and on an eye exam the doctor had concern that he might have elevated optic nerves.  He said a probable cause could be drusen, tumor. or naturally larger.  We went to a specialist and they did a sonogram.  He did not see an obvious tumor but said for "peace of mind" we can have a MRI.  He thought there might be a little spot of drusen way down deep in his left eye but could not be conclusive with sonogram.  I still don't know where we stand.  Everything I have read about drusen is so depressing.  Is this something that is going to affect is future?  How common is it to have a little spot of it and what could be his life prognosis?  He had to have an eye perscription but it is very minimal and only needs glasses on occasion. To see billboards way off,etc.  I have the same perscription almost.  How much of this is common??

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS]

There are different types of drusen. The macula is affected by soft and hard optic nerve drusen.

Optic nerve drusen look like "rock candy" in the optic nerve head and can cause it to look swollen. There is no treatment. Very, Very few patients that have this problem are aware of any visual problem from the ON drusen.

JCH III MD