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Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

Hollenhorst plaque with branch retinal artery occlusion causing a cherry red spot

Hollenhorst plaque with branch retinal artery occlusion causing a cherry red spot

Category(ies): Retina, Vitreous
Contributor: Matt Ward, MD

Cherry red spots classically occur after CENTRAL retinal artery occlusion (CRAO). The cherry red spot occurs because the choroidal and retinal circulation is separate. The richly vascularized sub-foveal choriocapillaris remains perfused after CRAO, but the surrounding retina becomes opaque due to edema as the tissue becomes ischemic.

cholesterol (Hollenhorst) plaque became lodged in an inferior branch of the central retinal artery that perfused both the superior and inferior macula
This was an interesting case in which a cholesterol (Hollenhorst) plaque became lodged in an inferior branch of the central retinal artery that perfused both the superior and inferior macula. Unfortunately for this patient this resulted in significant central vision loss.