Here you can observe some common pathologies and compare them to what you would find in a normal fundus. Select the pathology you’re interested in from the list displayed.
Normal Fundus
Disc: Clear; the central area of the cup is pale.
Retina: A normal red/orange color; the macula is dark.
Vessels: Arteries appear bright red, vein slightly purple. Arterial to the venous ratio is about 2 to 3.
Hypertensive Retinopathy
Normal
Disc: You’ll see an elevated, edematous disc, with blurred disc margins.
Retina: The retina displays prominent flame hemorrhages surrounding the vessels near the disc border.
Vessels: Observation of the vessels shows attenuated retinal arterioles.
Advanced Malignant Hypertensive Retinopathy
Normal
Disc: You’ll see an elevated, edematous disc, with blurred disc margins.
Retina: The retina displays prominent flame hemorrhages surrounding the vessels near the disc border.
Vessels: Observation of the vessels shows attenuated retinal arterioles.
Central Retinal Vein Occlusion
Normal
Disc: The disc is virtually obscured by edema and hemorrhages.
Retina: There are extensive blot retinal hemorrhages in all quadrants to the periphery.
Vessels: Observe dilated tortuous veins. The vessels are partially obscured by retinal hemorrhages.
Inferior Branch Retinal Artery Occlusion Due to Embolus
Normal
Disc: The disc displays prominent embolus at the retinal artery bifunction.
Retina: The interior retina shows pale, milky edema; the superior retina is normal.
Vessels: The interior arteriole tree is greatly attenuated and irregular; the superior vessel is normal.
Nonproliferative Diabetic Retinopathy
Normal
Disc: The disk is normal.
Retina: There are numerous scattered retinal exudates and retinal hemorrhages.
Vessels: Observe mild dilation of the veins.
Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy
Normal
Disc: You’ll see a net of new vessels growing on the disc surface.
Retina: The retina displays numerous hemorrhages, with the new vessels at the superior disc margin.
Vessels: Observation of the vessels shows dilated retinal veins.
End Stage Diabetic Retinopathy
Normal
Disc: The disc is partially obscured by fibrovascular proliferation.
Retina: The retina is obscured by proliferating tissue; a small area of the retina with a hemorrhage can be seen through a “window” in the fibrovascular membrane.
Vessels: There are abnormal new vessels in the proliferating fibrous tissues.
Vitreous: The vitreous humor displays a prominent proliferation of fibrovascular tissue.
Advanced Hemorrhagic Macular Degeneration
Normal
Retina: Observe a large macular scar with drusen and a prominent macular hemorrhage.
Vessels: The vessels appear normal.
Macular Drusen (Colloid Bodies)
Normal
Disc: The disc is normal.
Retina: Observe extensive white drusen of the retina.
Vessels: The vessels appear normal.
Inactive Chorioretinitis (Toxoplasmas)
Normal
Retina: Observe a well-circumscribed lesion with areas of hyperpigmentation and atrophy of the retina; the white sclera will be showing through.
Vessels: The vessels appear normal.
Advanced Retinitis Pigmentosa
Normal
Retina: Observe scattered retinal pigmentation in a classic bone spicule pattern.
Vessels: The vessels are greatly attenuated.
Retinal Detachment
Normal
Disc: The disc appears normal.
Retina: Observation of the retina shows a gray elevation in the temporal area with folds in the detached section.
Vessels: The vessels are tortuous and elevated over the detached retina.
Benign Choroidal Nevus
Normal
Retina: Observe a slate gray, flat lesion under the retina and several drusen overlaying the nevus.
Vessels: The vessels are normal.
Papilledema
Normal
Disc: Observe an elevated, edematous disc, with blurred disc margins and engorged vessels.
Retina: A flame retinal hemorrhage close to the disc.
Vessels: Engorged tortuous veins.
Optic Neuritis
Normal
Disc: The disc is elevated, with blurred margins.
Retina: The retina is normal.
Vessels: The arteries are attenuated; the veins are normal.
Optic Atrophy
Normal
Disc: The disc margins are sharp and clear, with pale white color.
Retina: The retina appears normal.
Vessels: The arteries are attenuated; the veins are normal.
Glaucomatous Cupping of the Disc
Normal
Disc: Observe a large cup, with disc vessels displaced peripherally; a pale white color; and pigmenting surrounding the disc.
Retina: The retina appears normal.
Vessels: The vessels are normal.