They are abnormal deposits of protein-like material in the anterior part of the optic nerve and 75% of affected patients are bilateral and can be hereditary or isolated cases.

Treatment: Hard drusen do not need treatment, but they should be checked regularly to make sure they do not develop into soft drusen. These are a sign of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and trying to remove drusen will not improve your AMD. If a choroidal neovascular membranes appear, there may be adequate treatment by surgery and vision improvement.