What do soft exudates on the retina appear like?

Soft exudates on the retina are characterized by their appearance as fluffy, white or yellowish-white patches that resemble cotton wool. These patches are caused by localized retinal ischemia, where the nerve fiber layer becomes swollen due to the accumulation of axoplasmic material. This results in a cotton wool-like texture, making deposits that are indeed described as resembling cotton wool.

The other choices do not accurately describe soft exudates. Yellow spots might suggest a different pathology, while large translucent bubbles on the surface could refer to other retinal conditions such as retinal breaks or detachments. Red dots indicating bleeding would relate more to hemorrhages in the retina, which are distinct from the soft exudates created by nerve fiber layer changes. Thus, the distinctive 'cotton wool' appearance is what identifies these soft exudates on the retina.