Central Serous Chorioretinopathy Treatment & Management

  • Author: Kean Theng Oh, MD; Chief Editor: Hampton Roy Sr, MD   more...
 
Updated: Nov 2, 2011
 

Medical Care

  • Efficacy of tranquilizers or beta-blockers is unknown. Furthermore, an evaluation of 230 consecutive patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) found that use of psychopharmacologic agents (eg, anxiolytics, antidepressants) was a risk factor for CSCR. Use of corticosteroids in the treatment of CSCR should be avoided because it may result in exacerbation of serous detachments already present.
  • Tatham and Macfarlane described a case series of patients who were treated with propranolol for CSCR.[31] They suggested that beta-blockade had a hypothetical mechanism in treating CSCR. Further evidence is needed to substantiate this potential treatment.
  • Nielsen et al proposed the use of mifepristone in the treatment of chronic CSCR in a case report.[32]
  • Intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) has been used to successfully treat the rare complication of choroidal neovascularization following CSCR.[33, 34, 35]
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Surgical Care

Laser photocoagulation should be considered under the following circumstances: (1) persistence of a serous retinal detachment for more than 4 months, (2) recurrence in an eye with visual deficit from previous CSCR, (3) presence of visual deficits in opposite eye from previous episodes of CSCR, and (4) occupational or other patient need requiring prompt recovery of vision.

Laser treatment also may be considered in patients with recurrent episodes of serous detachment with a leak located more than 300 µm from the center of the fovea.[36, 37]

Laser treatment shortens the course of the disease and decreases the risk of recurrence for CSCR, but it does not appear to improve the final visual prognosis.[38, 39]

Some evidence suggests that patients with chronic CSCR (diffuse retinal pigment epitheliopathy) may have better prognosis with laser treatment.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has growing support in the literature as a treatment of chronic CSCR and, most recently, acute phases of this condition. PDT is known to have a direct effect on the choroidal circulation but was limited by potential adverse effects, such as macular ischemia. Authors, such as Lai et al, are now describing reduced dosing of verteporfin, while the use of reduced fluence has been shown to be therapeutically effective in age-related macular degeneration. The rates of adverse events have decreased significantly with these modifications.[40, 28]

Use of verteporfin and PDT was first reported in 2003 in the setting of CSCR.[41]

Yannuzzi et al described using ICG angiography to first identify areas of choroidal hyperpermeability that were then targeted with PDT.[41]

Subsequent studies, using PDT protocols established by the Treatment of Age-Related Macular Degeneration With Photodynamic Therapy (TAP) Study, have reported case series that support the use of PDT, especially in the setting of chronic CSCR with neurosensory detachments.

PDT is believed to hasten both fluid resorption and visual recovery.

Lai et al described the use of half dose verteporfin in the treatment of CSCR.[28] They proposed 3 mg/m2 of verteporfin infused over 8 minutes, followed 2 minutes later with ICG guided PDT. Of the eyes treated, 85% showed complete resolution of the neurosensory retinal detachment and/or pigment epithelial detachment by 1 month after treatment.

Reibaldi et al evaluated the treatment efficacy of standard-fluence PDT versus low-fluence PDT using microperimetry. The study found improvement of macular sensitivity following treatment along with greater efficacy in treatment overall using low-fluence PDT.[42]

Bae et al compared low fluence PDT to intravitreal ranibizumab in a prospective randomized trial. Although only 8 eyes were randomized to each group, ranibizumab did not appear promising when compared with low fluence PDT. After a single treatment, 6 of the 8 eyes in the PDT group had resolution of subretinal fluid whereas 4 of the 8 eyes in the ranibizumab group ultimately required PDT rescue treatment.[43]

Multiple authors have also begun to use PDT as a first-line therapy for acute focal leaks from CSCR with reported success. Most papers describe resolution of subretinal fluid within 1 month of treatment.

Chan et al demonstrated that there is evidence of choroidal vascular changes on ICG with regard to choroidal permeability and vascular remodeling.[44]

ICG mediated photothrombosis is a technique using a low-intensity laser combined with ICG dye infusion to treat focal areas of hyperpermeability in the choroid. Like PDT, it addresses treatment to the level of the choroidal vasculature.[45]

An 810-nm laser is applied after infusion of ICG dye.

Without prior ICG dye, investigators have also used the 810-nm laser as transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) with moderate anecdotal success.[46, 47]

However, Penha et al described severe retinal thermal injury in a 31-year-old man following this treatment modality and recommended caution for this adverse event following ICG mediated TTT treatment.[48]

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Activity

Patient participation in stress-reducing activities (eg, exercise, meditation, yoga) is recommended.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Kean Theng Oh, MD  Consulting Staff, Associated Retinal Consultants, PC

Kean Theng Oh, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Retina Specialists, and Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Brian A Phillpotts, MD  Former Vitreo-Retinal Service Director, Former Program Director, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Howard University College of Medicine

Brian A Phillpotts, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Diabetes Association, American Medical Association, and National Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Simon K Law, MD, PharmD  Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, Jules Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine

Simon K Law, MD, PharmD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Glaucoma Society, and Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Steve Charles, MD  Director of Charles Retina Institute; Clinical Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tennessee College of Medicine; Adjunct Professor of Ophthalmology, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons; Clinical Professor Ophthalmology, Chinese University of Hong Kong

Steve Charles, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Retina Specialists, Club Jules Gonin, Macula Society, and Retina Society

Disclosure: Alcon Laboratories Consulting fee Consulting; OptiMedica Ownership interest Other; Topcon Medical Lasers Consulting fee Consulting

Lance L Brown, OD, MD  Ophthalmologist, Affiliated With Freeman Hospital and St John's Hospital, Regional Eye Center, Joplin, Missouri

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Hampton Roy Sr, MD  Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Hampton Roy Sr, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American College of Surgeons, and Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous author, James C Folk, MD, to the development and writing of this article.

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Fluorescein angiography in the early recirculation phase of a patient with a localized neurosensory detachment in the macula from central serous chorioretinopathy. Note the focal hyperfluorescence.
Fluorescein angiography in the late recirculation phase of the same patient as in the image above. Note the distribution of leakage of fluorescein dye within the neurosensory detachment.
 
 
 
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