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What Does My OCT Scan Report Indicate?

Posted on Wed, 27 Sep 2017

Question: Hello my question is for an ophthalmologist who specializes in the retina. About a month ago, I was changing a light bulb in my house. And it came on in my face and long story short, my eye doctor told me I mildly burned my retinas. She scanned my retinas and said they were mildly burned. I didn't have any blurry vision or decreased vision or cloudy vision which she said was good. I just have bad light sensitivity. I was a little sensitive to light due to having dry eyes and meibomian gland disorder. But the light sensitivity has increased. She told me since the burns are mild, hopefully it will resolve on its own. She dialated my eyes and said the optic nerve looks good. I've looked online and some websites said it can take 3-6 months, 1 month to a year, or it can never heal. However, I would just like my light sensitivity to improve a little. Three other doctors have mentioned to me light sensitivity isn't really a symptom of a retina burn and that symptoms usually consist of decreased vision, cloudy black spots, etc. They said light sensitivity usually comes from corneas. I constantly wear my sunglasses and a hat outdoors whenever I'm outside now. My questions are can it ever improve even if she said they were mild? I'm so nervous. Do you think something else could be contributing to my light sensitivity like my MGD?I've attached a copy of my OCT scans for you. Can you please take a look at them and see if you notice the photo retinopathy? Thanks for your response!

Answered by Dr. N K Mishra (7 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Normal OCT

Detailed Answer:
My dear,
Thanks for sending your query to us.
This is a normal OCT,that means whatever inflammation the doctor saw was on direct retinal examination. Though I would have been happier to see a coloured Oct,for colour coding,still Oct is normal.
Photosensitivity you have is due to surface disorder and we in our practice routinely use Nepafenac eye drop.1%one drop thrice day for 6 weeks,for retinal infllammations,and since you do not have a retinal swelling related symptom you are unlikely to have any residual effect.
Going through your medication details I noticed that you take fish oil,look at the composition on the label,how many I.u.of bit A you are taking.As it is a fat soluble vitamin,it is retained in the body and you need only 5000 I.u. per day.This observation is not related to discussion under consideration.
Please do get back to me in case of any further query in this regard.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. N K Mishra (16 hours later)

Thank you doctor for getting back to me. Did any of the numbers on the oct scan paper look abnormal to you? Also, can a mild retina burn heal? I have read it can take a long time, but my eye doctor said mine is really, really mild. Also, does a retina burn show up on the OCT scan? Thanks doctor!

Answered by Dr. N K Mishra (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Mild retinal burn

Detailed Answer:
My dear,
Thanks for getting back to me.
Your retinal burn was so mild that it didn't alter the numbers on Oct.These burns almost always heal on their own and take a few weeks to repair.
Severe burns take much longer,so a mild burn should be OK in a few weeks time.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. N K Mishra (1 hour later)

It has already been a month though. It can take longer? Thanks doctor .

Answered by Dr. N K Mishra (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Slight retinal burn

Detailed Answer:
My dear,
Good of you to get back to me.
This may take longer,but we do not know if you have already improved as there is no symptoms to guide us about improvement.
It will be a retinal examination that will tell us weather you have recovered fully or not.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. N K Mishra (39 hours later)

Hi Dr. i appreciate you getting back to me. I am really light sensitive. Would that be a symtom of my Meibomian gland disorder or of a mild retina burn? And my eye doctor wants to see me in 6 weeks for another OCT scan. Is that a good enough time to monitor it? Also, is there any way to keep it from getting worse? I constantly wear my sunglaases and hat when outdoor. Im so neevous. Thank you Dr .

Answered by Dr. N K Mishra (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Mild retinal burn.

Detailed Answer:
My dear,
Thanks for getting back to me.

I do appreciate your concerns. 6 weeks is adequate time for follow up. The light sensitivity is more of meibomian gland disease.

There is no need to worry. It initially was a minor inflammation, and they tend to become alright on their own, with the passage of time. There are repairing processes in the body which take care of them.

Wish you a speedy recovery.
Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee