Birthmark at back of eye- Should I worry?

[joystir59]

A year ago at a routine eye test the optician found the above at the back of my eye. Called it a birthmark although it's never been spotted before and I've been having eye tests 20 or more years. They took repeat images and scans and said it was fine, but then said I needed to go for yearly checks without saying why. I went yesterday and it was the same again, they spent ages scrutinising the scan and imaging results and I had to repeat a scan, then optician said there was nothing to worry about as the mark was flat. Should I be worried? It was Specsavers if that's relevent. Has anyone else got a mark like this?

Anyone?

Specsavers identified a freckle on my sister's eye. They then referred her urgently to a specialist eye hospital (all was fine). You could ask if worried?

If it’s never been spotted before I would probably be more concerned. Can you go to Boots and ask them to double check?

I can't say I have any experience, OP, but the Liverpool Ocular Oncology website says a "flat birthmark at the back of the eye" is called a congenital hypertrophy and "it's almost entirely harmless and does not require any treatment".

If your optometrist has studied the images thoroughly, I'm sure their assessment that it is harmless is correct. But if you're worried and it's upsetting you, you could seek a second opinion.

I’ve got one! They just check every eye test that it hasn’t grown.

It's probably just a naevus (a mole) and like a skin mole needs monitoring to check for any changes. You're less likely to get changes to it if it's flat.

The other thing it may be is a CHRPE which is a bit of pigment.

I would ask for a copy of the retinal photograph for your records.

Thank you,that's all reassuring.

Yep, they monitor for growth, just like you would monitor your own moles, but you can't monitor this one yourself so they do it. They often pick them up because the imaging equipment is getting more and more sensitive.

So I mean it's probably always been there but not able to be spotted until the equipment got sensitive enough!