Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Cotton wool spots
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Cotton wool spots are an abnormal finding on fundoscopic exam of the retina. They appear as puffy white patches on the retina.
Pathophysiology
Pathophysiology
They are caused by damage to nerve fibers. The nerve fibers are damaged by swelling in the surface layer of the retina. The cause of this swelling is due to the reduced axonal transport (and hence backlog of intracellular products) within the nerves because of the ischaemia.
Causes
Causes
Common Causes
Rare Causes
Treatment
Treatment
Treatmen of the underlying disease is the mainstay of therapy. In diabetes, cotton wool spots are one of the hallmarks of pre-proliferative retinopathy.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]