Ocular Argyrosis Secondary to Long-term Ingestion of Self-Concocted Silver Colloidal Solution

Abstract

Colloidal silver has traditionally been promoted as a cure-all for various ailments and has recently made a comeback as alternative medicine in the protection against and treatment of conditions including COVID-19. Long-term ingestion of colloidal silver can result in the buildup of silver in bodily tissues over months and years and lead to ocular argyrosis and other pathological changes. We describe a case of a 75-year-old Caucasian man who presented with a history of chronic ingestion of his own concoction of colloidal silver. Ocular examination revealed the initial presence of bilateral early drusenoid changes within the macula, confirmed with optical coherence tomography. This report seeks to bring more awareness to the clinical manifestations and current research of this rare condition.