CENTRAL SEROUS CHORIORETINOPATHY: MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) is characterised by a focal serous detachment of the neurosensory retina. Leakage of fluorescein dye from the retinal pigment epithelium and subretinal dye pooling can be demonstrated on fluorescein angiography. Fluorescein angiography has not been successful in imaging the choroidal vessels. Kitaya and coworkers report the findings of 36 consecutive patients with acute central serous choroioretinopathy using indocyanine green angiography. Additionally, in 11 of these patients laser Doppler flowmetery estimated the foveal choroidal blood flow. In this study, decreased choroidal blood flow in CSC was demonstrated for the first time. Decreased foveal choroidal blood flow was also demonstrated. These findings suggest that CSC is not merely a disorder of retinal pigment epithelium but also involves choroidal vascular abnormalities including hyperpermeability in decreased foveal choroidal blood flow. Why these abnormalities of choroidal blood flow take place is uncertain.

Spahn and coworkers evaluated the psychosomatic symptoms and social support of 24 consecutive patients with CSC. In this study …