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ONHDeyes - 25 Mar 2005 09:30 GMT

Hi I am 48 and female living with Drusen since I was 17. Its activ
again and recently my doctor stated that it as on my optic nerv
(what is left of it as half of my optic nerve is working)

How accruate are the Humphrey test

I have lost a lot of vision in the last two years and doctor suspect
it could be RP. :cry:

If it is RP how long do I have before blindness sets in

If it is Glaucoma with ONHD will blindness be likely

Any info on this is helpful. And yes I have had a battery of test
through out my life at one poing when Dr. Keltner of UCD stated to m
don't have headaches due to the optic nerve not working properly
thought to myself, now how can I do that? :roll:

Anyway any advice or thoughts on the matter is appreciated

Sincerely

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drfrank21@gmail.com - 26 Mar 2005 01:30 GMT

> Hi I am 48 and female living with Drusen since I was 17. Its active
> again and recently my doctor stated that it as on my optic nerve
> (what is left of it as half of my optic nerve is working).

I was not aware that optic nerve head drusen (unlike macular
drusen) can become "active" over time.

> How accruate are the Humphrey test?

Varies. Usually there's a learning curve for the first
test(s). The results also gives us "reliability" indices
as an indicator how reliable the test/tester was.

> I have lost a lot of vision in the last two years and doctor suspects
> it could be RP. :cry:
>
> If it is RP how long do I have before blindness sets in?

Depends upon the type of retinitis pigmentosa. Has nothing to do
with nerve head drusen though.

> If it is Glaucoma with ONHD will blindness be likely?

Again, like rp, glaucoma is not related to optic nerve head
drusen. I'd think that your provider would be able to differentiate
rp from glaucoma. If it is glaucoma, there's an armada of medications
and laser/surgical applications.

> Any info on this is helpful. And yes I have had a battery of tests
> through out my life at one poing when Dr. Keltner of UCD stated to me
> don't have headaches due to the optic nerve not working properly I
> thought to myself, now how can I do that? :roll:

I don't understand that last statement. Was that meant not to
worry about your nerve head drusen?? Overall, I must be missing
something here with your reference to nerve head drusen, rp, and
glaucoma. Visual fields would give an enlarged "blind spot" for
opnh drusen, poag (primary open angle glaucoma) typical nasal
"step" deficits and rp would give an overall peripheral depression.
So I'm not sure where the confusion is at regarding your diagnosis.

> Anyway any advice or thoughts on the matter is appreciated.

I'd seriously talk with your provider regarding what's going on
with your visual status.

frank

,

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RM - 28 Mar 2005 00:16 GMT

What you are saying below is not clear to me at all.

You have stated that you possibly have optic nerve head drusen, RP, and
glaucoma. These are 3 separate and rare disorders and it is quite unlikely
that there is a combination of them occuring.

ONHD can be diagnosed with ultrasound to a high level of accuracy. It is
difficult to treat-- evidence suggests that some glaucoma meds MIGHT be
beneficial. ONHD are caused by material accummulated within the nerve head
which compresses on fibers resulting in their atrophy.

RP is a genetic disorder that is quite rare and is not treatable. Does
anyone in your family have RP? In the early stages it is difficult to
diagnose, and latter it produces a characteristic retinal appearance and ERG
tracing.

Glaucoma is a disorder that results in reduced perfusion to the ONH
resulting in fiber atrophy. It is quite treatable. It can be diagnosed by
careful combined clinical studies including as retinal tomography, Humphrey
visual field studies, pachemetry, and intraocular pressure measurements.

I think you need to go ask your eyedoc some more questions and get more
information.

---------------------

> Hi I am 48 and female living with Drusen since I was 17. Its active
> again and recently my doctor stated that it as on my optic nerve
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
> Sincerely,

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