Absent foveal reflex

What it means

Absent reflectivity of the fovea, which normally is a bright pinpoint of light that is observed to move sideways or up and down in response to movement of the opthalmoscope.

Absence of the foveal reflex can occur with macular edema, central serous retinopathy, or other macular abnormalities such as macular dystrophy. The macular reflex is often less pronounced in adults than in children, and may be absent in otherwise normal eyes of older individuals.

Rare diseases that can present with this4

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Foveal reflex absent · Loss of foveal reflex