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Eye Care (Expert Forum)

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physiological blind spot

Answered by

John C Hagan III, MD, FACS - Ophthalmology

Discover Vision Centers Kansas City - MO

Our Ask A Doctor Ophthalmology Forum is where you can post your question and receive a personal answer from physicians affiliated with the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

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MedHelp Member's Question

physiological blind spot

by mel07green, Aug 03, 2007 04:49PM

Tags: physiological, Ophthalmology, eyes, head, hypoplasia, ophthalmologist, optic, papilledema, pathologically, swollen, temporal, variation

In healthy eyes, are the physiological blind spots always identical or can there be some variation in size?

Doctor's Answer

by John C Hagan III, MD, FACS

, Aug 03, 2007 11:53PM

The blind spot is caused by the optic nerve head not having sight receptors on it. The optic herve head is towards the nose so the blind spot is projected outward (temporal) towards the ears. Since optic nerve size varies the blind spot varies among normal individuals and can be pathologically small (optic nerve hypoplasia) or abnormally large (swollen optic nerve or papilledema). So yes blind spots vary in size.

JCH III MD Ophthalmologist = Eye MD

Member Comments (2)

by mel07green, Aug 03, 2007 11:45PM

Thank you doctor. Do they also vary between eyes in the same individual or are they symmetrical?

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