Patient Portal: Optic Disc Drusen

Optic disc drusen (ODD) are abnormal deposits of benign, usually calcified material within the optic disc, which is the front part of the optic nerve that connects each eye to the brain. We do not know the exact cause of optic disc drusen. They are present in 0.3-2% of people as an isolated case or they may run in some families (inherited). In children, they often are deep in the optic disc and hard to see (buried). Over time, they become more apparent as they enlarge and move closer to the surface of the optic nerve. Optic disc drusen can look like swelling (edema) of the optic nerve. Papilledema is the medical term for swelling of the optic nerve from high pressure inside the head. Pseudopapilledema is the term for when the optic nerves look swollen but are actually not, and optic disc drusen are a leading cause of pseudopapilledema. True papilledema, which often presents with symptoms such as frequent/severe headaches, can be a dangerous condition that can be a sign of a brain tumor or other serious problem, and papilledema can lead to major vision loss. In contrast, optic disc drusen and other kinds of pseudopapilledema typically cause no symptoms and are not a sign of a brain tumor or another dangerous problem.