Can a freckle reduce in size and disappear?

Question

Hi doctor,

Please find the images shared by my optometrist. He said I have no freckles. If a freckle develops sometime in one's life, then what would prevent it from growing indefinitely to melanoma? Will it develop for some time and stop? If you do notice the freckle then please clarify doubts which are as follows. Which eye has the freckle? What is the size? Is that small or big? How could the optometrist say there is no freckle? Can a freckle reduce in size eventually and even disappear? What are the odds for this to eventually become melanoma? Please answer all these questions individually.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

From the images (attachment removed to protect patient identity) you have sent I do not see a freckle in either eye. A freckle will show as a pigmented patch in the retina of the eye. If there is a freckle it will not reduce in size on its own. It will increase in size or remain stationary. Lesion and a freckle essentially mean the same, just different terminology. If a freckle progresses, it can become a melanoma. If it progresses, there is no way you can stop it, without treatment. I suggest, you do more tests, like an OCT (optical coherence tomography), FFA (fundus fluorescein angiography) and an MRI, to be sure. Also take an opinion of an ophthalmologist for through physical evaluation. I hope this helps you. Thank you.