This is a fundus photo of the two eyes of a 9 year old male patient who presented this morning with his mother. After a recent visit to the pediatrician, the pediatrician recommended this child be seen by a retinal specialist. The boy’s mom called a retinal specialist who then told her the boy should first be seen by an optometrist. The reason became evident when he presented with unaided visual acuity of 20/40 out of the right eye (presented on the left side of the photo, as if the boy was facing you) and 20/20 out of the left eye. The mother indicated verbally that he never complained about his vision until that day at the pediatrician when the pediatrician asked him to cover the left eye. The boy then recalled that he had played with a LASER pointer and pointed it at point blank range into his right eye.

At this point, any damage caused to the retina has been caused and there really is no treatment for the LASER scar. For management, we recommended near reading glasses as a way to blur his distance while at the computer as a way to focus his attention and to blur his distance (in essence, anti-distraction glasses). His mom indicates he is very easily distracted. We also will be placing anti-blue antiglare in his glasses. He currently does NOT need distance glasses but we recommended he be seen yearly since puberty is imminent and we expect him to go myopic shortly.

We discussed with this patient’s mom that protection of the left eye is paramount since he really only has one eye. Polycarbonate lenses were required on his prescription since polycarbonate lenses are much more shatter resistant. We also discussed occupational limitations such as becoming a pilot in which case both eyes are required to be correctable to 20/20.

No referral was made to retina since this case is non-progressing.

Please keep LASER pointers away from children.