HomeAnswersOphthalmology (Eye Care)retinal detachmentHow serious is temporal pigmentation with retinal elevation?

Do temporal area pigmentation with retinal elevation need surgery?

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The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Vinodhini J.

Published At January 6, 2020
Reviewed AtJuly 25, 2023

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

I went to an optometrist and diagnosed with something like below. Retinal exam showed OD temporal area of pigmentation (old chrpe vs atropical hole) with area of retinal elevation. I have attached the optomaps. Can you please tell me how serious is this? Does it need surgery?

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have gone through your optomap. (attachment removed to protect patient identity). The first (left eye) one seems fine. The second one (right eye) on your left-hand side has a few changes. It is a bit tricky to make assumptions based on images, but are you referring to the retinal elevation and hole and chrpe on to the left-hand side? There are a multitude of options to treat such a disease. Some doctors, with such a finding, might say that it is a small hole and localized elevation and especially if you yourself have no symptoms like flashing light or floating objects, might ask you to simply follow up with them and recommend observation.Others may recommend that you get laser or surgery done more so in case you have symptoms as mentioned above and if you have had any such incidents in your other eye, or have risk factors like a high power. So in summary, I can say that it mainly depends on the progress, your symptoms and the risk factors.I can assure you that observation for a retinal problem like yours can be done because it is not involving the center part (macula). But the doctor may opt to treat with a laser depending on the progress of the condition. Once again it depends on your progress, risk factors and symptoms.

Patient's Query

Thank you doctor,

I am visiting a retinal consultant soon for thorough examination. I do regular eye exam every year and no doctor told me this before. This is the first time I went with optomap and they found something. I cannot certainly say that I encountered floaters or flashes because I always sit in front of the computer and have dry eyes. My eyesight is .50 on both eyes and it did not change except for astigmatism. Do you think this can happen all of a sudden and is surgery a complicated one?

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

This condition is classically described in the literature as a sudden and painless one, so most people would not even realize that they are having such a problem. The important thing about surgery in retinal problems is that they are all aimed at preserving vision you have left and may in some cases reduce your vision or field of vision (you will usually be briefed about all this before surgery and its implications such as for example, the legal limits of vision and field of vision for driving). But in your particular case, with a localized retinal elevation and old hole, I do not expect a significant difference in your pre and post-operative visual function. Please go ahead with the retina specialist's consultation and contact me if you have any further questions.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Manjunath Natarajan
Dr. Manjunath Natarajan

Ophthalmology (Eye Care)

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