The authors of previous studies on the role of photocoagulation for central serous chorioretinopathy (CSR) have based their deductions on the premise that a Snellen visual acuity of 6/6 is the end point of recovery. It is now known that patients with a visual acuity of 6/6 may have defective contrast sensitivity indicative of a visual function deficit. The present study was a prospective, controlled, and randomized evaluation of patients suffering from their first attack of CSR, in which contrast sensitivity was used to determine the effectiveness of argon laser photocoagulation as compared with more conservative treatment. Although long-term studies are necessary, the results of this study showed that while photocoagulation increases the rate of recovery for visual acuity, it is also linked with significant loss and slower recovery of contrast sensitivity.