Cherry red spot is seen in: September 2010 March 2013

Ans. B: CRAO The cherry red spot is seen in central retinal aery occlusion, appearing several hours after the blockage of the retinal aery occurs. The cherry red spot is seen because the macula receives its blood supply from the choroid aery while the surrounding retina is pale due to retinal aery infarction. It is also seen in several other conditions, classically Tay-Sachs Disease, but also in Niemarm-Pick Disease, Sandhoff disease, and mucolipidosis.