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Translation from medical speak - ophthalmic consultant

4 replies

PartialToACupOfMilo · 13/01/2013 21:48

I wonder if anyone could help me (and dh) to understand what the consultant means in part of a letter sent from the consultant to the GP re my husband's eye examination.

He saw an optician first for a routine eye examination and also because there is family history of glaucoma and he is now 45. The optitican referred him to the consultant at the eye clinic because due to dots on the retina, which she wasn't sure how to explain. Anyway the letter making the referral came in the post and although most of it is intelligible, the final sentence has us stumped!

It reads: Fundus with RPE white dots temporal to the macula however temporal as well as superior pigmentary changes with clumping of pigment along the blood vessels were noted and this appears to be present on the left side superiorly

Thanks for your help :)

OP posts:
HollaAtMeBaby · 13/01/2013 22:41

I suspect there is a typing issue here as it doesn't seem to make grammatical sense. What is the preceding sentence?

Do you understand all the terms used e.g. fundus, macula, RPE? Superiorly could either mean "upper" or "more" here, I think. Will you be seeing the GP? Perhaps they can clarify. Or you could phone up the consultant's secretary.

Karoleann · 14/01/2013 13:48

Fundus = back of eye.
RPE is retinal pigment epithelium, which is a layer of the retina underneath the bit that processes the light. Its job is to ansorb any extra light. white dots in the RPE are often called drusen (however I can't be sure without seeing them).
Macula = the very sensitive part of the retina where the light rays entering the eye focus, it provides detailed vision. so temporal to the macula is the area towards the temple of the head, superior is upwards.
Often with drusen you get pigmentory changes too. pigement just means darker area.

The section you have written down basically just describes the appearance and position of the white dots and pigment at the back of the eye. It isn't a diagnosis and its likely (hopefully) that either your optometrist or the ophthalmologist has also taken a picture of the back of the eye (fundus) too. That way the condition can be monitored and any changes (even subtle ones) can be detected.

PartialToACupOfMilo · 14/01/2013 22:04

Thank you both. He has since had another appointment so another letter should be arriving soon, if it hasn't already done so. He also has an appointment later this week for further investigation. I know he's worried about it, but typically isn't really talking about it.

OP posts:
Shanlqx · 12/10/2022 17:41

Hey, did you find out what it meant? And what was wrong with his eyes, im displaying similar symptoms so just thought I would ask x

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