Visual illusions?

[Ihearya]

My 10yo son came down and said that when he lies down and looks at his checked curtains, they seem to come forward into a 'force field'. He is struggling to describe what he means but do you think he could be describing normal optical illusion from the checked pattern? I have laid down to see what he means but nothing happens for me.

It's called pattern glare and some people notice it more than others. It's due to slight over-excitation of the visual cortex with certain pattern spacings. I get it really badly on the escalator going down to the tube.

If he's had a routine eye exam recently and you have no concerns about reading, then I wouldn't worry about it.

He has an issue with his eyes where the optic nerve looks raised. Has 6 monthly eye checks but it's always stayed the same so far. They though perhaps he has calcium deposits.

There’s no association (that I know about with disc drusen or other disc problems. There may possibly be some association with dyslexia - which is why I asked about the reading.

OK thank you. No, he doesn't have trouble reading or writing at all. He does have an intermittent stammer though. He's due another eye test end of October so will mention it then. One specialist thinks drusen, one said Vitreopapillary traction, and one said the discs look raised but as there is no sign of drusen, and just looks like he was born that way.