I recently had my routine eye test and was offered an OCT.
Immediately after the procedure I noticed an abnormality in my left eye.
I thought it might be just an after-image that would fade, but it appears to be permanent (over a month now).
The abnormality is in my direct line of sight.
It is like looking through a small shard of glass or a diamond.
I can focus on any particular point and the abnormality is directly over that point.
This is very distracting while reading off a computer screen or book as the abnormality is over each word I am trying to read - rather like reading through frosted glass.
It is not a floater. I have had many floaters and I’m fully aware of their behaviour.
Its shape and size has remained constant since the OCT. Measured against a computer screen, from a normal distance, it is about 5mm in diameter.
It is more noticeable at concentrated short distances (e.g computer screen), and much less so at greater distances as it blends into the full FOV and mix of colours.
My eye also watered excessively for about a week after the OCT, which at first I put down to hay fever symptoms, but realised that it was only in my left eye.
During the procedure I repeatedly informed the operator that the lens I was asked to look through was heavily blurred due to condensation from my breathing, as a result of having to keep a COVID mask on.
Twice she wiped the lens with a cloth but the condensation returned almost immediately before the necessary instrument adjustments had been made.
I have cataract implants, after which operation I have fixed small pupils.
My eye test (prior to OCT) obtained better than 20/20 vision with the corrective lenses.
I am aware that even low-level IR absorption can cause symptoms such as redness of the eye, swelling, or hemorrhaging.
My question:
Could the condensation on the lens have caused the automated instrument to compensate for the semi-opacity, by increasing the IR level to the point that it inadvertently damaged my retina, resulting in a scotoma?