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Eye Condition

Best's Disease

Best’s disease, also known as Best’s vitelliform macular dystrophy, is a hereditary (usually) form of progressive macular dystrophy.

Best's disease

In a Nutshell

Best’s disease, also known as Best’s vitelliform macular dystrophy, is a hereditary (usually) form of progressive macular dystrophy. The condition can be identified between 3 and 15 years of age.

Self Help & Tips

  1. Get Vitamins & Supplements to Support the Retina.
  2. Recommended Homeopathic remedy for retina: Homeopathic Macular Degeneration Pellets Helpful for retinal conditions.
  3. Daily juicing of organic fruits and vegetables helps provide important nutrition for your eyes.

The five stages of Best’s disease

  1. Pre vitelliform: Initially a recording of eye movements and eye position identifies abnormal electrical potential. Eyes will be tested resting or moving in dark and light conditions.
  2. Vitelliform: Usually occurs between 10-25 years of age. Typical yellow spots, sometimes accompanied by material leaking into space by the retina can be observed; an observation called “egg-yolk” lesion.
  3. Pseudohypopyon: When part of the lesion becomes absorbed, this is identified as stage three. Even at this stage, there may be little effect on vision.
  4. Vitelliruptive: At this stage, when the “egg-yolk” breaks up in a process referred to as “scrambled egg”, the sight will probably be affected.
  5. Atrophic: The fifth and final stage is when the condition causes the most severe sight loss.

NOTE: Choroidal neovascularization (and subsequent retinal bleeding) results in about 1 in 5 patients.

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Best's Disease Patient Story

A real patient shares their journey with our treatment approach.

"I have maintained my eyesight for over 30 years now."

Diagnosed in 1993 with Best disease and told she’d be blind in years, Janet turned to Dr. Rosenfarb’s acupuncture and hyperbaric oxygen. Three decades later she still drives, sees faces, and her macular lesions have even regressed, stunning her retinal surgeon.

Janet
Verified Patient

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions we get asked about Best's Disease.

Both conditions damage the macula, but Best’s disease is inherited and usually begins in childhood, whereas age‑related macular degeneration develops later in life and is linked to aging rather than a single gene mutation.

Best’s disease typically follows an autosomal‑dominant pattern, so each child has a 50 percent chance of inheriting the gene and eventually developing some form of the condition.

Not always. Some carriers have normal vision and only subtle changes on specialized retinal testing, this is called reduced penetrance.

Unexplained drop in reading vision, a small central blur that doesn’t clear with blinking, or a yellowish spot seen during a routine eye screening are all reasons to seek a specialist’s opinion.

Most doctors recommend a detailed retinal exam and OCT imaging once or twice a year, increasing the frequency if new symptoms appear.

High‑resolution OCT can detect subtle changes in the photoreceptor layer and may help forecast which eyes are at higher risk of later atrophy or scarring.

Good overall eye health, balanced nutrition, avoiding smoking, wearing UV‑blocking sunglasses, may support retinal cells, but it does not alter the genetic cause of Best’s disease.

Yes. A genetic counselor can clarify inheritance patterns, discuss reproductive options, and connect families with emerging clinical trials or registries.

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