Drusen of the optic disc. A histopathological study.

A retrospective study of autopsy and surgically enucleated eyes yielded eighteen autopsy and four surgically enucleated eyes harbouring drusen of the optic disc. The average age of the patients in this series was 58-6 years. Various histopathological changes were noted in the optic nerve head and adjacent retina; these comprised compression of nerve fibres, partial optic atrophy, elevation of the optic disc, cytoid bodies, disc haemorrhage, sequelae of haemorrhage, and juxtapapillary retinal scarring. All optic disc drusen were calcified and five of the ten disc drusen stained positively for the presence of iron.