Commotio Retinae that travels into the macula is known as ____________.

• A. Berlin's Edema
• B. Macular Burn
• C. Photoreceptor Rupture
• D. Juxtafoveal Injury

Answer: (A)

Blunt trauma can cause commotio retinae, a temporary whitening of the retina from disruption of the photoreceptor outer segments and adjacent RPE in the outer retina. When this whitening involves the macula, the condition is classically called Berlin edema. This naming reflects the special concern for central vision loss when the fovea is affected, since foveal involvement can lead to transient or sometimes lasting decreases in visual acuity.

Macular Burn isn’t a standard term for this condition, and photoreceptor rupture would imply a more severe, structural break rather than the transient outer-retinal disruption seen in typical commotio retinae. Juxtafoveal injury describes location relative to the fovea rather than the specific traumatic macular commotio phenotype. Berlin edema specifically designates commotio retinae with macular involvement, which is why it’s the best answer.