Eye-site, eye health, discount eyeglasses, Corneal Retinitus, Optic Nerve, Detached Retina

Welcome to the eye-site. My name is

Ellen DuBois, and here's some information about...

My Eye

In 1986, the retina in my left eye detached. The treatment I received at Boston University Hospital, (which is no longer there), was high doses of prednisone. The vision in my left eye hasn't been the same since, however, it can be corrected with corrective lenses to 20/20, although much of the vision is distorted. It takes forever for me to read an eye chart with my left eye, for example, but when the letters come into focus, I can see them to a point. If they are too small, even with corrective lenses I can't see them.

In June of 2005, I met with an M.D. F.A.C.S. who thoroughly examined each eye. Here is his report:

....whom I examined today for some pigment changes in the periphery and possibly some retinal hemorrhage in the periphery of the left eye. As you remember, this 39-year-old has a history of a "total retinal detachment" in the left eye in 1986. She reports she was treated with high dose Prednisone and this had resolved. She has good vision in this eye but not quite as good as it used to be now. She has no new symptoms.

On exam, her vision with correction is 20/20 in each eye. The tensions are 18 in each eye, and the anterior segments are normal in each eye.

Dilated fundus exam with 360 degree depressed exam of both eyes showed a clear view to some mild floaters and a normal optic nerve with a cup-to-disc ratio of 0.0. The blood vessels are normal. The macula of the right eye has a good foveal reflex and no hemorrhage or fluid. The macula of the left eye has some pigment changes and atrophy with drusen but no hemorrhage or fluid. The retinal periphery shows a shallow schisis inferotemporally in the right eye and a small dense pigment change superiorly in the left eye. There are a few small intraretinal hemorrhages at approximately the 2 o'clock meridian in the left eye. There are no holes, tears or retinal detachments in either eye.

In summary, this woman has a pigment change superiorly in the left eye from an old retinal insult. It is impossible at this time to tell what this was but it is not active at this time. She does have some mottling of the central macula of the left eye consistent with previous subretinal fluid. It sounds like she had a bad case of idiopathic central serous choroidopathy or something similar to this in the past that has since gone away but left her with some mild deficits in the left eye. She has a mild schisis in the right eye and some intraretinal hemorrhage in the left eye but no associated tear. Given her history of myopia, she has increased risk for retinal detachment formation. I have reviewed with her the signs and symptoms of a retinal detachment and provided her with a retinal detachment warning sheet. She knows to call as soon as possible should there be any changes. She will follow up with you for her continued eye care, and she knows to call immediately if there are any problems....

In June of 2006, my eye doctor, upon my annual exam, ordered some fundus photos to be taken. I have my own copy of them. Upon a phone call from my eye doctor, he explained in lay terms what the fundus photos revealed:

The red area is my retina and blood vessels.

The black, almost circle shape is dark pigment which shouldn't be there.

The white areas within the dart pigment are where there is no retina.

This needs to be watched just to make sure the black area, or dark pigment area, doesn't get larger, (or become active).

He told me I have Corneal Retinitus and that the pigment could develop into melanomas, but the chances were very slim. He also went onto say that if the pigment area should become enlarged, it could be stopped with new technology.

Please read my story for more information on what I experienced when my retina detached in 1986.

Donate your old eyeglasses whenever you can. They can help another SEE.