White bump on retina

[SueDev]

Hello. I keep joining this site, posting and then leaving it as I’m too scared to see the responses.

So I’ve been having a few issues with my eyesight. I’m very myopic and had retinal detachments nearly 30 years ago. All going great until about 4 years ago when my vision began to deteriorate. Cataracts were the cause I was told. I had a concussion in December and a couple of days had a bleed. The retina doctor said it was a pvd that had caused the bleed. In my latest check up believe it’s now resolved.

The doctor told me I had a bump on my retina not to worry about - but I’ve read on here it’s likely to be Drusen. He said there was no macular degeneration. Could this bump be the scar formed from my bleed ? Should I believe the retina doctor. I’m absolutely terrified.

Any help would be appreciated. I will stay online.

[Becky_MacularSociety Partner]

Good Afternoon SueDev,

We have to go with what your retinal doctor has told you, that it is a bump on your retina. Your doctor could also clarify whether or not it is a scar formed from your bleed.

Your Dr will also be able to clarify whether or not it is drusen. We cannot go against what a doctor, who has seen your eye, has said. We aren't medically trained here and what you read on here cannot go against the professional, medical advice you have received is. To get some clarification on your condition, please speak to the retinal doctor who saw you.

If you would like a second opinion, you can do so by requesting it at the eye clinic, if you have not been discharged, or through your GP if you have been discharged.

All the best,

Becky

Macular Society

[e-mail]

0300 3030 111

[SueDev in reply to Becky_MacularSociety]

Thank-you for your response. I think I’m becoming neurotic about all this. Over the past two months I’ve seen 3 doctors. The first one said a bump on the retina which he wasn’t worried about. I had a bleed that has now resolved but my vision is still a tiny bit distorted. He said it was a pvd.

I went back to get a check on the bleed about a month ago and saw another doctor who said it wasn’t a pvd. She said that I had to expect bleeds and problems with my eyes because I’m so myopic. When I tried to ask her questions she said she couldn’t give me any treatment and she couldn’t decide which group of patients to put me in. She didn’t examine my eyes she just checked the Oct scan and said no fluid. I was distraught. I appreciate the nhs are stretched. She is not a usual doctor at the eye clinic.

I then saw another doctor in A&E at the weekend because I was so worried after having lots of peripheral flashing in my other eye. He told me I’d had pvd in both eyes. He thoroughly examined me. He mentioned the bump on the Oct scan.

I’ve read that the bump could be Drusen which could in turn cause a bleed - self diagnosis. As Drusen is serious I would have thought any doctor would have told me ?

[Becky_MacularSociety Partner in reply to SueDev]

Good Morning SueDev,

Drusen is something really common in people over the age of 40, and if the Drusen is small, then it is not something to be concerned with as it is a harmless sign of age.

However, you may not even have Drusen. The only person who can tell you is a doctor who has seen your OCT scans.

What we do know, is you have been told you have PVD.

Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) is a condition where your vitreous comes away from the retina at the back of your eye.

This is caused by changes in your vitreous gel. PVD isn’t painful and it doesn’t cause sight loss, but you may have symptoms such as seeing floaters (small dark spots or shapes) and flashing lights.

These symptoms will calm down as your brain learns to ignore them. With time, you should be able to see just as well as you could before your PVD started.

The symptoms of PVD are very similar to those of a different eye condition called retinal detachment, which needs prompt treatment to stop you losing part or all of the sight in your eye. A retinal tear is possible with PVD, however the majority if people with PVD do not develop a retinal tear.

However, it is still important to have annual opticians appointments to check on the health of your eye, but if you see any vision changes then to get your eyes examined as soon as possible and seen by a doctor, who can confirm the health of your eye.

All the best,

Becky

[ironbrain]

I, too, have this, a lump just to the left on the fovea. When I compare it with images of OCT scans on the Internet the only thing I can find that looks like it is druse.

I started having treatment for CNV in February 2018, but haven't had an injection for just about on the year now. I only noticed this bump a few checkups ago (the OCT operated will often let me see the images) and on that occasion the nurse doing the OCT said it might just be something left over from when I had the CNV.

I don't quite know if it's between the right layers to be a druse, it's just the one, and all my tests come back saying I don't need further treatment at the time (even though I've asked for comment on the lump from the ophthalmologist checking the scans).

Presumably, they either agree with the nurse (and, of course, can see all my scans from over the years), think it's something else benign ... or just a single druse? But I've not been told to avoid alcohol completely, which possibly I might have been if it were thought to be a druse.

But it's just to the left of the fovea, and most, if not all, of my CNV bleeds, at least as I saw them and/or remember them, were to the right (and further from the fovea).

[SueDev in reply to ironbrain]

Hello ironbrain.I would expect that an eye doctor would tell you if it was something untoward ? That’s my thinking after much deliberation and helpful comments on this post !

Can I please ask ? Do you still have a little bit of distortion where you’ve had your bleeds which are now resolved ?

[ironbrain in reply to SueDev]

Hello Sue. Maybe (hope so), but they might also not wish to "worry the patient unnecessarily" and see what, if anything, develops.Yes, my vision is still distorted, wavy, almost corrugated, especially looking to the bottom right. I dream of returning to the days lamp posts were straight and tower blocks had straight edges. It's also still not crisp and bright. Colours aren't too bad on a bright day, but I don't think they're back as they were, it's sometimes difficult to distinguish pale yellows and pinks from white. That's my right eye, I've virtually no central vision in my left eye.