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Original poster

Does anybody have a freckle behind their eye?

64 replies

MillyStar · 27/11/2013 16:37

Ive just been for a sight test and been told I have one, he's referred me to an eye doctor to take some pics and monitor it

He told me they're very common and not to worry but he would say that wouldn't he!

I suffer from anxiety and I'm already convinced that I'm gonna die and leave my daughter so I'm sat in my car in bits :(

OP posts:
vj32 · 27/11/2013 19:39

Yes I have something similar. Had to have an ultrasound type scan which was quite yuck - but I am VERY squeamish about these things anyway.

The only thing I would say is - do not mention this to a new optician if you change. I made this mistake and had about 15 mins of lights being shone in my eyes unnecessarily because the optician as a matter of professional pride decided he needed to see it as well. Unsurprisingly I didn't go back there!

Littlegreyauditor · 27/11/2013 19:59

I would suggest it was less to do with professional pride and more to do with needing to check it still looked normal. If you don't mention it to the optician you will end up being referred again and wasting NHS resources.

They don't do extra tests for no extra money for the good of their health. Hmm

Greypuddle · 27/11/2013 20:05

Me too! My optician found one and sent me to the eye hospital where they pooh-poohed it as nothing but THEN told me they'd found a shadow. I had to go back a few weeks later for them to look again and the shadow thing had just vanished. I'd forgotten this (it was only a year ago) until I read your post. Don't worry! I was terrified but no one at the hospital seemed overly concerned.

manticlimactic · 27/11/2013 20:11

Me too Grin . I had a bit of a panic when I heard the word 'mole' especially as it's on my optic nerve apparently.

My optician noticed it a few years ago and just keeps erm..an eye on it.

ConfusedPixie · 27/11/2013 20:12

I have a birthmark behind my eye :) It was only discovered when I was 19 but I've never been sent for further testing, just told to keep seeing opticians every 4 years about a year late then.

My best friend as a child had a mole at the back of her eye. I'm amazed at how common these things are!

Dayshiftdoris · 28/11/2013 00:52

My dad has a birthmark behind his eye - it was found when he had an injury to his eye 30yrs ago...

It's not changed or been a concerned since they figured out what it was until very recently when a drug he is on for his heart make the vessel bigger but even then they weren't worried at all.

I am surprised at how common it is too!

Spermysextowel · 28/11/2013 01:09

My optician found a black freckle at my last check-up so I was referred to the eye clinic at the hospital. 3 hour wait to be told it was nothing, but I feel better that it was found & investigated.

carabos · 28/11/2013 08:27

DS2 has one. He also has giant naevi on his scalp. He's a redhead and has millions of freckles. It's nothing to worry about and as others have said it's only because opticians have great scanning equipment that they even know they're there.

ditsydoll · 28/11/2013 10:06

My sister and I both have a freckle in the back of our eye :) never had any problems although we have both been to have them checked out just to be on safe side. Iddon't think there any more of a problem than a normal freckle tbh x

Birnamwood · 28/11/2013 10:52

I've got one too. The optician just keeps a photo of it and compares it with the new one to check for any changes. Not been sent to the freckle doctor tho.

merlottime · 30/05/2014 01:01

Sorry to start up an old thread, but my DC has been referred to the hospital as they have a birthmark behind their eye. I know this isn't massively unusual, but I was wondering what the eye doctor at the hospital will do - is it similar to a normal eye test?

bluedawn · 12/08/2015 19:25

Hi. Ive just been told ive got a freckle on my eye by my optician and now theyve referred me to the hospital. Im freaked out and worrying. How did you get on

merlottime · 12/08/2015 19:58

It was absolutely fine, thanks. Don't panic. They will use a more sophisticated machine thing to look in ?our eye and take photos. The consultant then reviewed the photos and told us what type it was (sorry, can't remember)but that it wasn't serious or worrying. It is very very rare to have one that is a cause for concern apparently but they have to check. I probably have a photo if you want to see.

bluedawn · 12/08/2015 20:43

Thank you so much for your reply. Yes i wouldnt mind seeing it.
Many thanks

OOAOML · 12/08/2015 20:45

I have one, found out a few years ago when the optician got a machine that photographs your eyes. They had me in quarterly to check if it was changing but now just note it at annual check. They said it had probably been there all my life.

BarbarianMum · 12/08/2015 20:57

I've got several. They weren't picked up til I was in my 30s so I had to go to the opthalmist (sp?) to get it checked out. It's called cat's paw something or other Smile

redredblue · 12/08/2015 21:10

I have one too
My opticians have never mentioned it as being a problem though
Apparently it gives you a slightly higher risk of cancer, but not enough to worry about

WorriedMum192 · 12/08/2015 21:11

Me too! I have a birthmark on the back of my eye, it was only picked up when I had one of those tests where they photograph the inside of your eye IYKWIM. They weren't fussed about it at all, just said 'ooh look at that'. I think it's called a paw print? Anyway, it does sound really common.

MistressMia · 12/08/2015 21:30

cat's paw something or other

... bear track: pigment clumps in the retina in the shape of a paw.... v common.

Does anybody have a freckle behind their eye?
MistressMia · 12/08/2015 21:30

The 'moles' will be Choroidal naevi. V common. Just a clump of pigment in a layer of the eye called the choroid.

Very very rare for them to become cancerous.

In some areas they'll be monitored by the hospital depending on size & location (yearly photo and someone might/might not look at it directly).

Increasingly though, they are left to the opticians to keep an eye on them as so many have equipment for taking photos.

Does anybody have a freckle behind their eye?
bluedawn · 12/08/2015 21:53

Thankyou all ????

Lavenderice · 12/08/2015 22:00

I have a mark in my iris, a bit like Madeleine McCann's is this what this is?

MistressMia · 12/08/2015 22:09

I have a mark in my iris, a bit like Madeleine McCann's is this what this is?

No MM has an iris coloboma... a 'hole' that causes the pull to be an irregular shape.

You could have that or if it's just a dark patch on the surface, then it will be an iris naevus (freckle). Also just a harmless clump of pigment.

Does anybody have a freckle behind their eye?
MistressMia · 12/08/2015 22:11

pupil not pull

FuturePerfect · 12/08/2015 22:13

Ds2 has this. The optician said it was not a problem, but they had to inform the GP.

The GP then phoned me to discuss it - basically asking me how I wanted to proceed (bit random, the doctor asking me whether I wanted to treat it as something serious or not!)

I followed the optician's advice and forgot about it!