Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Grey patch back of eye

23 replies

racheyc · 04/09/2023 09:55

Posting for traffic so yes I know IABU!

Took DD to opticians yesterday and they did that photo where they take a photo of the eyeball

There was a large grey patch. He did mention the bad thing it could be (saying there was a less than 0.001 % chance!!) but I can't remember what it was called. I have tried to google with no avail. She has a test next week to put some dye in to chek it further

Has anyone come across this before in their child?

Many thanks

OP posts:
AppleDumplingWithCustard · 04/09/2023 10:42

Was it perhaps retinitis pigmentosa?

Original poster
racheyc · 04/09/2023 10:54

@AppleDumplingWithCustard he said it could be just the equivalent of freckles on the skin but there was something serious it could be it was just one word I think beginning with an a or an e. I should have asked again at the end 😐

OP posts:
KimberleyClark · 04/09/2023 11:06

I have a little clump of blood vessels at the back of one of my eyes, always have had t apparently. I was sent to the eye department of the local hospital, but it is nothing to be concerned about, just an internal birthmark. Your optician seemed to think this was the case for your daughter too didn’t he. Fingers crossed for you.

Original poster
racheyc · 04/09/2023 11:25

@KimberleyClark thank you. Yes he didn't seem concerned but said they need to be sure. hopefully it's just something like that 🙏

OP posts:
NeunundneunzigHorseBallonz · 04/09/2023 11:30

Did he say Ocular Melanoma?

ilovemydogmore · 04/09/2023 11:31

Is she mixed race? I have this and was told it was very common and completely harmless

Whiskeywithwater · 04/09/2023 11:33

I have this and it just (what someone rose has said), a large freckle on back of eye. Bizarre - I had never heard of it before. They monitored it for a couple of years (an annual check) then signed me off.

zingally · 04/09/2023 11:42

I have a large similar sounding spot in the back of my left eye. It turned out to be a birthmark. :) Apparently they are fairly unusual, but not MASSIVELY unusual if you get my drift.

It was only discovered about 4 years ago, and only because I'd never had that eyeball photo taken before! That's relatively new technology.

I have a yearly eye-check for other reasons, but that gets monitored as well, just to check that it hasn't changed size or shape, and that the blood vessels around and through it stay the same.

Willyoujustbequiet · 04/09/2023 12:01

You can have moles/freckles there just like the rest of your skin. Very common and as long as you get your eyes checked regularly to pick up any changes it shouldn't be an issue.

Original poster
racheyc · 04/09/2023 12:12

@NeunundneunzigHorseBallonz I don't think so no, it was just a one word thing. It's only a week until the more in depth test so not too long to wait.

@ilovemydogmore yes, mixed ethnicity!

I obviously don't have a photo but I will show one from google of what it looked like

Grey patch back of eye
OP posts:
Original poster
racheyc · 04/09/2023 12:13

Oh god I didn't mean for that to be so big! It looked like that but the patch was bigger and darker grey

OP posts:
Original poster
racheyc · 04/09/2023 12:13

@zingally yes it was with that back of eyeball photo thing!

OP posts:
AnonDivComm · 04/09/2023 12:28

I suspect it’s a nevus - that’s a birthmark / freckle on the back of the eye, around 2 to 3% of the population have them, including me. Very small chance it turns into or is something else, as you were told. Often monitored for any changes through annual images. Doesn’t cause any visual issues.

ilovemydogmore · 04/09/2023 12:40

Obviously keep monitoring just incase - but all of my mixed race family members, and some of my friends have these and most of us have at the front of our eye balls and are visible. Just like faint grey patches on our eyeball.

sorrynotathome · 04/09/2023 12:42

Is there something that’s preventing you calling the optician and asking?

mintich · 04/09/2023 12:49

Probably a naevus

Original poster
racheyc · 04/09/2023 13:58

@ilovemydogmore very interesting, thank you!

@AnonDivComm thanks, hopefully it's that

OP posts:
Xrays · 04/09/2023 14:05

There are so many things it could be it’s impossible to guess. I have severe short sight -9.50 both eyes with astigmatism and also something called white without pressure which makes my retinas look white around the edges - I have been misdiagnosed as having retinal detachments a few times because this is what it looks like and only a more experienced specialist at the hospital has told me it’s fine, it’s just a weird difference some people have. I also have lattice retinal degeneration which makes my retinas look like a cheese grater. All very odd. I’m closely monitored for retinal issues because of this.

Original poster
racheyc · 04/09/2023 14:06

@sorry well the optician doesn't know what it is yet until they do further testing. So no point in calling for an answer! I was just wondering if anyone else has experiences anything like this. Thank you though.

OP posts:
CyberCritical · 04/09/2023 14:13

Does the word 'Coloboma' sound familiar?

I have colobomas on both eyes, on Retina in one eye and on optic disc in the other.

The one on the Retina has never caused any issues at all, it's just a small patch that didn't form. Madeline McCann had Coloboma of the iris, it's what caused the keyhole shaped patch on her iris that was given as a distinguishing feature.

The one on my optic disc did cause some issues but it was such a very very random set of coincidences that my Opthamologist had never heard of it happening before and I get all the students coming for a look every time I go for a check up.

Original poster
racheyc · 04/09/2023 15:04

@CyberCritical no it doesn't. How often do you have to go for check ups with that then? Is it something they keep a close eye on?

OP posts:
CyberCritical · 04/09/2023 15:51

racheyc · 04/09/2023 15:04

@CyberCritical no it doesn't. How often do you have to go for check ups with that then? Is it something they keep a close eye on?

Yearly but only because I'm weird and my coloboma happened to happen in exactly the wrong place right in the edge of my optic nerve so it caused fluid to build up and reduced behind my retina causing a Retinal Detachment.

So from when I was a kid to when I was 36 they checked yearly to see if the retina was still holding firm, then at 36 it detached so I had to have it re-attached and now they check yearly to make sure the fix is still working.

Original poster
racheyc · 04/09/2023 17:30

@cyber oh god that sounds stressful. Sounds like you have been through a lot with your eyes.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page