Enumerate the Causes of cherry red spot with mnemonic
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cherry red spot causes retinal differential diagnosis
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539841
A cherry-red spot at the macula is caused by a pale, opaque surrounding retina while the relatively thin fovea remains red from underlying choroidal circulation.
Causes
1. Vascular / ischemic
- Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) - the classic acquired cause
- Retinal artery branch occlusion, rarely
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
2. Trauma
- Commotio retinae (Berlin edema) after blunt ocular trauma
3. Lysosomal storage disorders
- Tay-Sachs disease
- Niemann-Pick disease type A
- Sandhoff disease
- GM1 gangliosidosis
- Sialidosis (cherry-red-spot myoclonus syndrome)
- Galactosialidosis
- Metachromatic leukodystrophy
- Mucolipidosis (especially type II/III)
- Farber disease
- Krabbe disease (occasional)
Mnemonic: “CRASHing GMS”
- C - Central retinal artery occlusion
- R - Retinal trauma: commotio retinae
- A - Asphyxiants: carbon monoxide
- S - Storage disorders
- Tay-Sachs
- Niemann-Pick
- Sandhoff
- GM1 gangliosidosis
- Metachromatic leukodystrophy
- Sialidosis / galactosialidosis
For exams, write CRAO, Tay-Sachs, Niemann-Pick type A, and commotio retinae first. The Wills Eye Manual specifically lists CRAO, commotio retinae, Tay-Sachs, and Niemann-Pick type A as key differentials. Wills Eye Manual, pp. 782-783
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"cherry red spot" AND retina
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cherry-red spot causes Tay Sachs Niemann Pick Sandhoff sialidosis mnemonic ophthalmology
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539841
Cherry-red spot at macula: causes
Best exam mnemonic: “CATS Need Some Good Medical Support”
| Letter | Cause |
|---|---|
| C | CRAO - central retinal artery occlusion |
| A | Asphyxiants - especially carbon monoxide poisoning |
| T | Tay-Sachs disease |
| S | Sandhoff disease |
| N | Niemann-Pick disease, especially type A |
| S | Sialidosis |
| G | GM1 gangliosidosis |
| M | Mucolipidosis, especially type II/III |
| S | Secondary trauma: commotio retinae / Berlin edema |
Add-on storage disorders
- Galactosialidosis
- Metachromatic leukodystrophy
- Rarely, other lysosomal storage disorders
One-line viva answer
Cherry-red spot occurs in CRAO, carbon monoxide poisoning, commotio retinae, and lysosomal storage disorders, classically Tay-Sachs, Niemann-Pick type A, Sandhoff, GM1 gangliosidosis, sialidosis, and mucolipidosis.
Clinical split to remember
- Adult with sudden painless unilateral visual loss: think CRAO
- Infant with bilateral cherry-red spots plus neuroregression: think storage disorder, especially Tay-Sachs or Niemann-Pick A
- After blunt trauma: think commotio retinae (Berlin edema)
Important correction: Do not routinely list Gaucher disease. Its association with a cherry-red spot is disputed and it is not considered a typical feature. The textbook sources identify CRAO, commotio retinae, Tay-Sachs, and Niemann-Pick disease as core causes.
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