Question

Diabetic ischemic maculopathy is characterized by all of the following except?

• A. It occurs due to microvascular blockage
• B. Mild visual loss
• C. Areas of non-perfusion are evident on fluorescein angiography
• D. Microaneurysms and hemorrhages are seen

Hint:

Foveal ischaemia kills central acuity, so visual loss is marked, not mild.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: This is a negative-stem question, so we look for the one feature that does not fit ischaemic diabetic maculopathy.

Step 2: The condition arises from occlusion of the macular microvasculature, which starves the fovea of blood and therefore tends to drop central acuity severely.

Step 3: On fundus examination there are microaneurysms and haemorrhages with little or no oedema, and fluorescein angiography reveals capillary non-perfusion, an enlarged foveal avascular zone and later precapillary arteriolar blockage.

Step 4: Statements about microvascular blockage, angiographic non-perfusion and microaneurysms with haemorrhages are correct. The visual loss is marked rather than mild, so the inaccurate option is mild visual loss.

\[\boxed{\text{Mild visual loss (it is in fact marked)}}\]