cotton-wool spot (CWS)

Punctate retinal infarcts seen on funduscopic examination. They occur secondary to immune-mediated ischemic injury to vascular sheaths of nerves, especially in patients with diabetic retinopathy. They do not produce symptoms or progress, thus no specific therapy is required.

General

eye disease (ophthalmopathy) abnormal morphologic structure (malformation)

References

- Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 11, 15, 18. American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 1998, 2009, 2018.