What is a cherry red spot?
Cherry red spot is the bright red appearance of the fovea centralis of the eye as seen by funduscopy in children with certain gray matter storage diseases, classically Tay–Sachs disease.
As the storage material accumulates in the nerve fiber layer, the retina takes on a grayish-white appearance.
Because there are very few fibers traversing the fovea, it retains its normal color and continues to reflect the bright red vascular choroid underneath.
Sources
Waubant E, Chabas D: Pediatric multiple sclerosis. Curr Treat Options Neurol 11:203-210, 2009.
