What is a common fundoscopic sign associated with Central Retinal Artery Occlusion (CRAO)?

The cherry red spot on the fovea is a well-documented fundoscopic sign associated with Central Retinal Artery Occlusion (CRAO). This appearance is due to the contrast between the red color of the fovea, which is a normal healthy area of the retina that contains a high concentration of photoreceptor cells, and the pale retina surrounding it, which occurs because of the lack of blood supply in the area affected by the occlusion.

In CRAO, the occlusion of the central retinal artery leads to ischemia, causing the surrounding retina to develop a pale appearance. However, the fovea, being supplied by the choroidal circulation, remains perfused, resulting in the characteristic cherry red spot. This finding is often a key indicator for clinicians when diagnosing CRAO during a fundoscopic examination.

The other options do describe various retinal findings that could occur in different pathologies; however, they are not the hallmark sign of CRAO. The pale retina due to ischemia is indeed seen but is not distinctive enough to make the diagnosis like the cherry red spot, and cattle trucking, which refers to the narrowing of the retinal vessels, is more associated with chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes rather than acute CRAO. Ret