CHOROIDAL VASCULARITY IN CHRONIC CENTRAL SEROUS CHORIORETINOPATHY AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH RISK SINGLE-NUCLEOTIDE POLYMORPHISMS

PURPOSE

To analyze the choroidal parameters of patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (cCSC) and the association with central serous chorioretinopathy susceptibility genes.

METHODS

The choroidal vascular index (CVI) was obtained by binarizing spectral domain optical coherence tomography enhanced depth images of patients with cCSC and healthy age-matched controls. Patients with cCSC were genotyped for three central serous chorioretinopathy susceptibility single-nucleotide polymorphisms: rs4844392 ( mir-29b-2/CD46 ), rs1329428 ( CFH ), and rs2379120 (upstream GATA5 ).

RESULTS

One hundred three eyes with cCSC and 53 control eyes were included. There was a significant increase in the subfoveal choroidal area in both the affected (2.4 ± 0.6 mm 2 ) and fellow (2.2 ± 0.6 mm 2 ) eyes of patients with cCSC compared with controls (1.8 ± 0.5 mm 2 , P < 0.0001 and P < 0.0001). The CVI was reduced in patients with cCSC 63.5% ± 3.1% compared with controls 65.4% ± 2.3% ( P < 0.001) and also in the affected compared with the fellow eyes 64.6% ± 2.9% ( P < 0.01). There was a significant association between CVI in the cCSC group and presence of the risk single-nucleotide polymorphisms rs2379120 at GATA5 ( P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The relative reduction of CVI in patients with cCSC may suggest a persistence of vessel hyperpermeability over dilation in chronic disease. GATA5 is associated with CVI in patients with cCSC and therefore may have a role in choroidal vascularity.

Topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for central serous chorioretinopathy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) is a prevalent exudative maculopathy and the ongoing verteporfin shortage restricts current treatment possibilities. Topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) have previously been proposed as a treatment for CSC, although its exact efficacy remains unclear. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we outlined the efficacy of topical NSAIDs for the treatment of CSC. We searched 11 literature databases on 13 December 2022, for any study describing topical NSAID treatment for CSC. Thirteen eligible studies were included with a total of 1001 eyes of 994 patients with CSC. Six studies were case reports, two were cohort studies and five were non-randomized comparative studies. Where specified, topical NSAIDs used were bromfenac 0.09%, diclofenac 0.1%, ketorolac 0.4% and 0.5%, pranoprofen 0.1%, and nepafenac 0.1% and 0.3%. Studies were predominantly of cases with acute CSC and several case studies reported treatment outcomes simultaneously with discontinuation of corticosteroid use, which complicated treatment evaluation. Meta-analyses of comparative studies revealed a statistically significant but clinically irrelevant best-corrected visual acuity improvement of -0.04 logMAR (95% CI: -0.07 to -0.01 logMAR; p = 0.01) at 1-month follow-up, which became statistically insignificant at 3-month follow-up (-0.03 logMAR; 95% CI: -0.06 to 0.003 logMAR; p = 0.08). Further, we found no benefit in complete subretinal fluid resolution at 1-month follow-up (OR: 1.20; 95% CI: 0.81-1.76; p = 0.37) or 3-month follow-up (OR: 1.17; 95% CI: 0.86 to 1.59; p = 0.33). Taken together, available evidence does not support the use of topical NSAIDs for the treatment of CSC.

Choroidal hyperpermeability patterns correlate with disease severity in central serous chorioretinopathy: CERTAIN study report 2

PURPOSE

Choroidal vascular hyperpermeability (CVH) on indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) is a hallmark feature of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). We identified three distinct CVH phenotypes in CSC: uni-focal indistinct signs of choroidal hyperpermeability (uni-FISH) with one focal area of CVH, multiple areas of focal CVH (multi-FISH), and diffuse hyperpermeability covering most of the posterior pole (DISH). This report investigates the distribution of these phenotypes and their association with signs of disease chronicity.

METHODS

The CERTAIN study is a monocentric, retrospective study on consecutive CSC patients referred to a large tertiary referral centre that underwent ultra-widefield (UWF) and 55° ICGA. Two independent graders assessed CVH patterns based on mid- to late-phase UWF and 55° ICGA with a third grader acting as referee.

RESULTS

Of the 167 eyes of 91 patients included in this study, 43 (26%) showed uni-FISH, 87 (52%) multi-FISH, and 34 (20%) showed DISH based on UWF ICGA. Median age (40 vs. 45 vs. 57; p < 0.001) and logMAR visual acuity (0 vs. 0 vs. 0.1, p < 0.001) differed significantly in-between groups, as did the occurrence of cystoid retinal degeneration (PCRD; 0% vs. 1% vs. 18%, p < 0.001) or diffuse atrophic RPE alterations (DARA; 0% vs. 17% vs. 29%, p < 0.001). The same was true when grading was based on 55° ICGA.

CONCLUSIONS

The CVH patterns of uni-FISH, multi-FISH, and DISH are typical of CSC. These patterns correlate with established signs of CSC chronicity. Their predictive role in treatment response and prognosis remains to be evaluated.

Central serous chorioretinopathy associated with nonspecific orbital inflammation: a case report

We herein present a rare case of acute central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) associated with nonspecific orbital inflammation (NSOI). A 38-year-old woman presented with a 3-day history of ocular pain, reduced vision, periorbital swelling, proptosis, conjunctival chemosis, and restricted eye movements. Optical coherence tomography of the affected eye confirmed signs of CSC. Additionally, a computed tomography scan revealed enlargement of intraconal soft tissues and the lacrimal gland. Ocular ultrasonography detected posterior sclera thickening, indicating posterior scleritis. Following the diagnosis of NSOI, the patient received treatment with systemic corticosteroids, resulting in gradual regression of both the orbital inflammation and CSC. This is the first reported case of localized posterior pole CSC documented in a patient with NSOI. Vigilant monitoring for any ocular disorders is important in patients with orbital inflammation.

Effect of Focal Laser Photocoagulation on the Ganglion Cell Complex Thickness in Acute Central Serous Chorioretinopathy

This study investigated the changes in the ganglion cell complex (GCC) of patients with acute central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) following focal laser photocoagulation (FLP) and sought to determine its correlation with visual acuity (VA). Our retrospective study was conducted on 30 patients diagnosed with acute CSC between January 2015 and April 2022, who underwent FLP within 3 months of symptom onset. The study assessed GCC changes by measuring the thickness of its inner retinal layers-retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell layer (GCL), and inner plexiform layer (IPL) using optical coherence tomography (OCT). GCC thickness was compared between the affected and unaffected eyes and a healthy control group. VA was also assessed at baseline and at 1, 3, and 6 months post-treatment. VA showed significant improvement from 0.20 ± 0.14 at baseline to 0.10 ± 0.12 logMAR at 6 months post-treatment (p = 0.003). There was no significant change in GCC thickness over the 6-month period. No significant differences in GCC thickness were observed when comparing CSC eyes with fellow eyes or with normal controls at any time point. Final VA was significantly related only to baseline VA, with no correlation found with other factors, including RNFL, GCL, and IPL thickness. In summary, for patients with acute CSC undergoing FLP, our findings indicate that there is no significant change in GCC thickness detectable by OCT before and after the resolution of subretinal fluid (SRF), despite improvements in VA post-laser treatment. This suggests that any potential impact of FLP on GCC thickness may be minimal and not discernible with the current measurement methods, such as OCT, emphasizing that VA improvements may be primarily associated with alterations in the outer retina rather than the inner retina. Further studies with extended follow-up durations are warranted to evaluate any potential long-term changes in GCC.

Continuous Laser Versus Micropulse Laser in the Treatment of Central Serous Chorioretinopathy: A Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND

Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is a retinal disorder characterized by complex mechanisms leading to abnormal fluid accumulation under the retina. While management remains controversial, laser therapy has been successfully used. This study compares the efficacy of continuous laser (CL) and micropulse laser (ML) therapy in treating CSCR, focusing on reduction in macular thickness and improvement in visual acuity.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted, including patients with CSCR treated with either CL or ML. The primary outcome measured was the reduction in average macular thickness (AMT), alongside secondary outcomes like changes in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), and resolution of subretinal fluid (SRF).

RESULTS

The study evaluated 121 patients with CSCR, treated either with CL or ML. The primary outcome showed that the mean reduction in AMT was 51.14 µm (±20) in the CL group and 29.88 µm (±22) in the ML group, without a statistically significant difference (p=0.10). For the secondary outcomes, the improvement in BCVA was comparable in both groups, with CL at 0.15 (±0.1) and ML at 0.12 (±0.1) and no significant difference (p=0.41). However, in SFCT reduction, CL showed greater efficacy with a mean reduction of 32.19 µm (±15) compared to ML's 4.85 µm (±18), which was statistically significant (p=0.0004). The degree of SRF resolution showed no significant difference between the treatments (p=0.065).

CONCLUSIONS

Both CL and ML are effective in the management of CSCR, with CL being more effective in reducing SFCT. These findings suggest the need for personalized treatment strategies based on individual patient characteristics and underline the complexity of CSCR management.

Acute Central Serous Chorioretinopathy Outbreak during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Pilot Study

Background and Objectives: This study aims to investigate the potential association between the COVID-19 pandemic and a new presentation of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR). Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted, comparing the incidence of new-onset CSCR cases among ophthalmology patients in a regional medical facility in southern Israel between two distinct periods: the COVID-19 pandemic era in Israel, which occurred from 27 February 2020 to 20 December 2020, and the non-pandemic period from calendar years 2018 to 2021, excluding the specific epidemic phase mentioned. Disease severity was evaluated based on recovery time, visual acuity loss, and central macular thickness via OCT. Results: Over the four-year period, 35 new cases of CSCR were recorded. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 17 new cases (0.005% per population) were identified, compared with 18 new cases (0.002% per population) in the preceding three years. The odds ratio for acute CSCR during the pandemic was 2.83 (95% CI, 1.46-5.50) with a p-value of 0.02. CSCR cases during the pandemic seemed to exhibit worse clinical characteristics, though not statistically significant. Additionally, 22.2% of the COVID-19 pandemic group had confirmed COVID-19 cases, which was statistically significantly higher than the general population's reported cases (6%). Conclusion: The study revealed a statistically significant increase of over 2.5 times in acute CSCR incidence during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with non-pandemic periods. The findings suggest that the pandemic's stressful changes may have unintended consequences on the occurrence of CSCR, highlighting the importance of mental health support and psychoeducation for affected patients.

A Review

Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) is a disease characterized by serous detachment of the neuroretina, especially in the posterior pole of the eye. It is often accompanied by serous detachment of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and associated with the leakage of fluid into the subretinal space through the defective RPE. CSC most often affects men of working age. The exact pathophysiology of the disease is not completely known. Based on indocyanine green angiography (ICG), which revealed increased permeability of choroidal vessels, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) showing increased choroidal thickness, choroidal vasculopathy is assumed to be the primary cause of CSC. In most cases, CSC has a good prognosis with spontaneous resorption of the subretinal fluid (SRF) and improvement of visual functions. However, in a small percentage of patients the disease progresses to a chronic or recurrent course, and can lead to irreversible functional and anatomical changes of the retina with a final clinical picture of diffuse retinal pigment epitheliopathy (DRPE). The optimal treatment approach for patients with CSC remains controversial. In recent decades, myriad therapeutic approaches have been used in the treatment of chronic forms of CSC (cCSC); these included for example laser photocoagulation, pharmaceutical treatment, standard photodynamic therapy (PDT) or anti-VEGF. In recent years a less destructive method, specifically PDT in reduced dose regimens, either with a reduced dose of verteporfin or the laser beam energy used, has been preferred in the treatment of cCSC. Comparable efficacy and safety has been demonstrated using reduced-dose or reduced-fluence PDT regimens in patients with cCSC, with an improvement in best-corrected visual acuity and reduction of SRF.

Role of multimodal imaging in coexistent pachychoroid spectrum disease

PURPOSE

To describe the role of multimodal imaging in a case of coexisting pachychoroid diseases.

CASE DESCRIPTION

We report a case of a 43 year old lady with coexistent central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and pachychoroid neovasculopathy (PNV) in the same eye which posed a diagnostic challenge. Fundus examination showed neurosensory detachment (NSD) at the macula along with retinal pigment epithelial alterations. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) showed a shallow pigment epithelial detachment and OCT angiography showed the presence of vascular network in outer retina choriocapillaris slab suggesting a diagnosis of PNV. However, fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) showed a smoke stack leak adjacent to the site of vascular network. Focal laser photocoagulation of the leaky point resulted in resolution of NSD pointing towards a diagnosis of CSC.

CONCLUSION

This case emphasises the role of multimodal imaging in identifying the source of leak in coexistent pachychoroid spectrum diseases.

Intravitreal Brolucizumab for Pachychoroid Neovasculopathy Associated With Chronic Central Serous Chorioretinopathy

Purpose

To evaluate the anatomical and functional outcomes of intravitreal brolucizumab in eyes with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy complicated by pachychoroid neovasculopathy.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of 34 eyes treated with intravitreal brolucizumab. Twenty-five eyes (73.5%) had been treated with other anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents before switching to brolucizumab, whereas nine eyes were naïve. Outcome measures included the change of central foveal thickness and subfoveal choroidal thickness, evaluation of sub/intraretinal fluid on optical coherence tomography, and change in best-corrected visual acuity.

Results

Before starting brolucizumab, 23 eyes showed subretinal fluid, 8 both subretinal and intraretinal fluid, and 3 intraretinal fluid only. At the last visit, 22 eyes (64.7%) showed complete reabsorption of both intraretinal and subretinal fluid, whereas subretinal fluid was still present in 8 eyes (23.5%), and both intraretinal and subretinal fluid in 4 eyes (11.8%). The mean number of brolucizumab injections required to achieve complete fluid reabsorption was 2.8 ± 1.8. central foveal thickness decreased from 317.8 ± 109.3 µm to 239.8 ± 74.8 µm (P = 0.0005) and subfoveal choroidal thickness decreased from 399.3 ± 86.2 µm to 355.5 ± 92.7 µm at the end of the follow-up period (P = 0.0008). The mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution best-corrected visual acuity improved from 0.4 ± 0.2 to 0.3 ± 0.2 at 1 month after the first injection and remained stable at the same values at the end of the follow-up period (P = 0.04).

Conclusions

Intravitreal brolucizumab is effective for the treatment of naïve and recalcitrant pachychoroid neovasculopathy.

Translational Relevance

Intravitreal brolucizumab may represent an option in patients with pachychoroid neovasculopathy complicating chronic central serous chorioretinopathy.

Risks and Management of Central Serous Chorioretinopathy in a Middle-Aged Female

Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) is the buildup of fluid in the posterior pole distorting the vision resulting from either neurosensory or retinal pigment epithelial detachment. This is a case report of a 33-year-old female complaining of cloudiness in the left eye who was subsequently diagnosed with CSC using optical coherence tomography (OCT). Remission was observed in four months, possibly from ocular drop treatment or spontaneous. Our case report is unique as the incidence of CSC is more common in males, almost six times higher than in females. Also, the etiology of CSC in this case report is questionable because all the risks are excluded from our patient history.

Developing and Evaluating an AI-Based Computer-Aided Diagnosis System for Retinal Disease: Diagnostic Study for Central Serous Chorioretinopathy

BACKGROUND

Although previous research has made substantial progress in developing high-performance artificial intelligence (AI)-based computer-aided diagnosis (AI-CAD) systems in various medical domains, little attention has been paid to developing and evaluating AI-CAD system in ophthalmology, particularly for diagnosing retinal diseases using optical coherence tomography (OCT) images.

OBJECTIVE

This diagnostic study aimed to determine the usefulness of a proposed AI-CAD system in assisting ophthalmologists with the diagnosis of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), which is known to be difficult to diagnose, using OCT images.

METHODS

For the training and evaluation of the proposed deep learning model, 1693 OCT images were collected and annotated. The data set included 929 and 764 cases of acute and chronic CSC, respectively. In total, 66 ophthalmologists (2 groups: 36 retina and 30 nonretina specialists) participated in the observer performance test. To evaluate the deep learning algorithm used in the proposed AI-CAD system, the training, validation, and test sets were split in an 8:1:1 ratio. Further, 100 randomly sampled OCT images from the test set were used for the observer performance test, and the participants were instructed to select a CSC subtype for each of these images. Each image was provided under different conditions: (1) without AI assistance, (2) with AI assistance with a probability score, and (3) with AI assistance with a probability score and visual evidence heatmap. The sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve were used to measure the diagnostic performance of the model and ophthalmologists.

RESULTS

The proposed system achieved a high detection performance (99% of the area under the curve) for CSC, outperforming the 66 ophthalmologists who participated in the observer performance test. In both groups, ophthalmologists with the support of AI assistance with a probability score and visual evidence heatmap achieved the highest mean diagnostic performance compared with that of those subjected to other conditions (without AI assistance or with AI assistance with a probability score). Nonretina specialists achieved expert-level diagnostic performance with the support of the proposed AI-CAD system.

CONCLUSIONS

Our proposed AI-CAD system improved the diagnosis of CSC by ophthalmologists, which may support decision-making regarding retinal disease detection and alleviate the workload of ophthalmologists.

A 30-Year-Old Man with a Recent History of COVID-19 Requiring Treatment with Corticosteroids Who Developed Bilateral Central Serous Chorioretinopathy During 7-Month Follow-Up

BACKGROUND Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) involves a localized serous macular detachment, secondary to retinal pigment epithelial and choroidal vascular changes, which can be an adverse effect of corticosteroid use. Most CSCR cases resolve spontaneously, and normal vision returns, while some chronic cases can result in blindness. This report is of a 30-year-old man with a recent history of Corona virus disease (COVID)-19 requiring corticosteroid treatment who developed bilateral CSCR with unilateral fibrin and a 7-month follow-up. CASE REPORT A 30-year-old male patient presented with malaise and high fever. The patient tested positive for COVID-19, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus and was admitted. During hospitalization, he received intravenous (IV) corticosteroids for 1 week (6 mg dexamethasone IV once daily). Following hospitalization, the patient received per os methylprednisolone 16 mg (16 mg once daily for 3 days, 8 mg once daily for 3 days, 4 mg once daily for 3 days, and 2 mg once daily for 3 days). One month later, the patient presented with bilateral visual acuity (VA) deterioration and acute CSCR. The diagnosis and follow-up were performed by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA). The patient was followed-up for a period of 7 months, during which, although the VA improved and remained stable, the OCT findings were changing. CONCLUSIONS This report highlights the importance of timely ophthalmological examination in patients with sudden vision loss and identification of the association between corticosteroid use and CSCR, as well as the importance of a longer follow-up period.

Comparison of prevalent management options to treat acute central serous chorioretinopathy

Purpose

To study the acute central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) management strategies practiced at a tertiary eye care center in eastern India.

Methods

In a retrospective chart review study, the clinical outcomes of three different management approaches to treating acute CSC were analyzed. Individuals with follow-ups of fewer than 6 months were excluded. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the prognostic markers of CSC resolution.

Results

In the 10-year study period (January 2013-July 2022), 206 eyes were included. Placebo treatment was the preferred practice (48.5%; n = 100 eyes). Watchful observation without placebo was the management strategy in 30.6% (n = 63) of the eyes, and 20.9% (n = 43) of eyes received focal lasers. Risk factor modification was attempted in all. There was no significant difference in the resolution rate (P = 0.819), time to resolution (P = 0.331), and disease recurrence (P = 0.067) among the groups. Univariate logistic regression analysis did not favor any of the treatment strategies predicting resolution and recurrence.

Conclusion

Alternative treatment modes did not score over the natural history of acute CSC regarding disease resolution, vision gain, and disease recurrence. The study reaffirms observation as the standard of care for acute CSC.

Choroidal Vessel and Stromal Volumetric Analysis After Photodynamic Therapy or Focal Laser for Central Serous Chorioretinopathy

Purpose

To utilize volumetric analysis to quantify volumetric changes in choroidal vessels and stroma after photodynamic therapy (PDT) and focal laser photocoagulation (PC) for central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR).

Methods

This retrospective, comparative study included 58 eyes (58 patients) with CSCR (PC, 33 eyes; PDT, 25 eyes) followed up with swept-source optical coherence tomography at 3 months after treatment. Three-dimensional (3D) choroidal vessel and stromal volumes in each area of the central 1.5-mm-diameter circle, the torus-shaped area with 6-mm-diameter circle excluding the area of the central 1.5-mm-diameter circle, and the treated area of the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) grid centered at the fovea were analyzed using a deep learning-based method. Changes in volume at baseline and 1 and 3 months after treatment were compared.

Results

The mean patient age was 49.3 ± 10.5 years. In the central 1.5-mm-diameter circle, the mean vessel and stromal volume rates significantly decreased after the treatment in both the PDT and PC groups (P = 0.00029 and P = 0.0014, respectively), and significant differences between the PDT and PC groups of continuous variables within times were observed in both volumes (P = 0.024 and P = 0.037, respectively). In the torus-shaped area and treated area, the PDT and PC groups both showed similar decreases in vessel and stromal volume over time.

Conclusions

In the 3D optical coherence tomography volumetric analysis, both PDT and focal PC reduced choroid vessel volume in eyes with CSCR.

Translational Relevance

This new finding is useful in elucidating the pathogenesis and healing mechanisms of CSCR.

Comparison of oral propranolol, oral rifampicin, and intravitreal anti-VEGF in central serous chorioretinopathy

Purpose

To compare the efficacy of oral propranolol, oral rifampicin, and intravitreal anti-VEGF therapies on resolution-time and visual outcome in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR).

Methods

A total of 30 patients with CSCR were randomized into three groups of 10 patients. Group A was given oral propranolol, Group B was given oral rifampicin 4 weeks each, and Group C was given 0.05 ml intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF. Comparisons of mean BCVA, contrast sensitivity, and central macular thickness (CMT) performed between baseline and follow-up at 4 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 months.

Results

Statistically significant improvement in BCVA and contrast sensitivity was noted among all three groups. Complete resolution of SRF as indicated by CMT was seen at the end of 4 weeks in Group C, whereas there was a steady decline in CMT until 3 months in Groups A and B.

Conclusion

Intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy shows a significantly faster SRF resolution. However, oral propranolol and oral rifampicin could prove as a useful, cost-effective treatment of CSCR.

Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Parameters in Indian Patients With Central Serous Chorioretinopathy

Background In this study, we aimed to evaluate optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) parameters among Indian patients affected with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR). Methodology A cross-sectional study on Indian patients having unilateral or bilateral affection with CSCR was conducted at the Department of Ophthalmology, Guru Nanak Eye Centre, and Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi. A history of ocular symptoms such as a diminution of vision, metamorphopsia, decreased contrast sensitivity (CS), and defective color vision (CV) and their duration were obtained. A detailed ocular examination for best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), CV, and CS was done. Following this, fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) were performed. OCT was done for central foveal thickness (CFT), subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), neurosensory detachment (NSD), pigment epithelial detachment (PED), and choroidal neovascular membranes (CNVMs). The OCTA imaging was done to examine the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) size, perimeter and circularity, vessel density (VD), and features such as enlarged/distorted FAZ, dark areas, dark spots, abnormal vessels, and choriocapillaris island (CCI) in the retino-choroidal layers. We compared the OCTA features of affected eyes with those of fellow eyes. Results The study involved 52 eyes of 40 CSCR patients, including 32 (80%) males and eight (20%) females with a mean age of 39.3 ± 6.1 (24-49) years. Of the 40 patients, 12 (30%) had a bilateral involvement. The mean CFT was 300.3 ± 158.4 µ, and the SFCT was 258.5 ± 60.4 µ. The mean distance BCVA was the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) 0.58 ± 0.32. The OCTA showed features such as enlarged/distorted FAZ (36.53% eyes), dark areas (NSD/PED) (84.61% eyes), dark spots (PED) (5.76% eyes), abnormal vessels (dilated vessels/CNVM) (96.15% eyes), and CCI (17.30% eyes). The mean FAZ area, perimeter, and circularity were 0.40 ± 0.71 mm2, 41.8 ± 280.0 mm, and 0.48 ± 0.12, respectively. The VD in the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) was 25.4 ± 14.1, deep capillary plexus (DCP) 15.0 ± 11.5, outer retina (OR) 5.9 ± 6.8, outer retinal choriocapillaris (ORCC) 33.7 ± 16.9, choriocapillaris 29.7 ± 17.5, and choroid 29.9 ± 17.5. The fellow eyes showed a mean FAZ area, perimeter, and circularity of 0.34 ± 0.23 mm2, 76.8 ± 391.2 mm, and 0.47 ± 0.11, respectively, while VD of SCP was 25.9 ± 13.6, DCP 16.5 ± 11.7, OR 14.3 ± 14.9, ORCC 38.0 ± 16.5, choriocapillaris 36.3 ± 17.7, and choroid 35.5 ± 19.2. Conclusions The CSCR eyes had a thicker fovea and sub-foveal choroid (SFC). The FAZ area of affected eyes was larger, while the perimeter was smaller than that in the fellow eye. In the affected eye, the VD in all the retino-choroidal layers was lower, although it was significantly reduced in OR whole (p = 0.006) and foveal choroid (p = 0.022).

Associations of ARMS2 and NR3C2 genes polymorphisms with central serous chorioretinopathy in a Greek population

BACKGROUND

Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is characterized by serous detachment of the central neurosensory retina and it is one of the most common retinal disorders. Various genetic polymorphisms have been associated with CSCR development.

METHODS

The aim of our study was to investigate the potential association between ARMS2 (rs10490924) and NR3C2 (rs2070951 and rs5522) genes polymorphisms and CSCR development in a well defined Greek cohort for the first time in literature. We enrolled, in our case-control study, 48 CSCR patients and 137 controls. The ARMS2 (rs10490924) and NR3C2 (rs2070951 and rs5522) genes polymorphisms were analyzed using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assays.

RESULTS

In our study, we found significant associations between ARMS2rs10490924 and NR3C2rs2070951 single nucleotide polymorphisms and CSCR development. Specifically, the GTrs10490924 genotype frequency of the ARMS2 gene was found to be significantly associated with risk of CSCR and T allele of rs10490924ARMS2 gene was also found to increase risk for CSCR. The genotype frequency GC and CC of rs2070951NR3C2 gene were observed more frequently in CSCR patients than controls and C allele of rs2070951NR3C2 gene was also observed more frequently in CSCR patients than controls. Rs5522 of NR3C2 gene polymorphism was not found to be significantly associated with CSCR.

CONCLUSION

Our findings showed, for the first time in a Greek population, that SNPs in the ARMS2 and NR3C2 genes are significantly associated with risk of CSCR. The results of this study support the involvement of extracellular matrix (ARMS2 gene) and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) in the pathogenesis of CSCR.

Choroidal Vortex Vein Drainage System in Central Serous Chorioretinopathy Using Ultra-Widefield Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography

Purpose

To evaluate differences in the choroidal vortex vein drainage system (VV) in eyes between patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and unaffected individuals using ultra-widefield optical coherence tomography angiography (UWF-OCTA).

Methods

In this cross-sectional observational study, 40 eyes of patients with CSC and 28 eyes of healthy volunteers were included. The analysis involved the use of UWF-OCTA to analyze the proportion of the choroidal vortex vein drainage system (VV%), choroidal thickness, choroidal vascular volume (CVV), and choroidal vascularity index (CVI) of the VV in each drainage quadrant. The location relationship between the leakage points in fluorescein angiography and the VV was also explored.

Results

A within-group analysis of VV% showed a statistically significant difference in the CSC group (P < 0.001) but not in the control group (P = 0.270). Compared to healthy eyes, CSC eyes had a significantly larger CVV and higher CVI in all regions (all P < 0.05). The superotemporal (ST) drainage system had the largest CVV and thickest choroidal layer among the four drainage quadrants (all P < 0.05) in CSC eyes. The leakage rate in the ST quadrant was significantly higher than that in the inferotemporal quadrant (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

CSC eyes have an asymmetric vortex vein drainage system, with relative hyperperfusion in all VV. Further, the preferential drainage route of the submacular choroid may be the ST drainage system in CSC eyes.

Translational Relevance

Targeting the imbalanced drainage system could be a potential therapeutic approach for CSC.

The Uses of Photodynamic Therapy Versus Anti-vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in the Management of Acute Central Serous Chorioretinopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is an idiopathic chorioretinal disease characterized by localized serous detachment of the neurosensory retina at the macula. To date, there is no high-quality evidence of recent updates on treating acute CSCR, focusing on photodynamic therapy (PDT) and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF). Hence, this review aims to conduct a comprehensive systematic review of the most recent therapeutic approaches for acute CSCR using the following electronic databases for a comprehensive and systematic literature review: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane. In addition, we analyzed studies comparing PDT with placebo, anti-VEGF with placebo, or PDT with anti-VEGF in treating acute CSC eyes with no previous intervention. Seven studies were included, with a total of 292 eyes. The overall positive results were significantly higher among patients who received PDT compared to control groups (odds ratio [OR] = 7.96, 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.02 to 20.95, p < 0.001). The proportions of positive results were 81.0% and 97.1% among patients who received anti-VEGF and PDT, respectively, with no statistically significant differences between the groups. In addition, there were no significant differences between anti-VEGF and control groups. In contrast, PDT was significantly associated with lower recurrence odds than the control groups (OR = 0.12, 95% CI, 0.04 to 0.39, p = 0.042). According to our findings, PDT showed higher positive results than anti-VEGF in acute CSCR. In addition, PDT was significantly associated with a lower recurrence rate than the control group. However, the analysis needs to be confirmed and updated by large-scale, well-designed randomized clinical trials.

Choroidal vascularity index as an activity criterion and a treatment response measure in chronic central serous chorioretinopathy

PURPOSE

This study aimed to evaluate the choroidal vascularity index (CVI) as an activity criterion in chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and as a measure of treatment response after full-dose-full-fluence photodynamic therapy (fd-ff-PDT).

METHODS

This fellow-eye-controlled, retrospective cohort study included 23 patients with unilateral chronic CSC treated with fd-ff-PDT (6 mg/m2 ; 50 μcm2 ; 83 s). Subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT, μm) and CVI (%) of the affected and fellow eyes at baseline as well as at 1, 3 and 6 months after fd-ff-PDT were compared.

RESULTS

The patients' mean age was 43.4 ± 7.3 years, and 18 (78.3%) were male. CVI was comparable between the affected and fellow eyes at baseline (66.09 ± 1.56 vs. 65.84 ± 1.57, p = 0.59). However, it became significantly lower in the affected eyes 1 (64.45 ± 1.68 vs. 65.87 ± 1.19, p = 0.002), 3 (64.21 ± 2.08 vs. 65.71 ± 1.59, p = 0.009) and 6 (64.47 ± 2.19 vs. 65.62 ± 1.52, p = 0.045) months after fd-ff-PDT. The mean SFCT and the mean CVI were significantly decreased in the affected eyes at all follow-up visits compared with baseline after fd-ff-PDT (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

At baseline, CVI was comparable between affected and fellow eyes. Therefore, its use as an activity criterion in chronic CSC patients is questionable. However, it was significantly decreased in fd-ff-PDT-treated eyes, supporting its role as a measure of treatment response in chronic CSC.

Optical Coherence Tomography Image Classification Using Hybrid Deep Learning and Ant Colony Optimization

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is widely used to detect and classify retinal diseases. However, OCT-image-based manual detection by ophthalmologists is prone to errors and subjectivity. Thus, various automation methods have been proposed; however, improvements in detection accuracy are required. Particularly, automated techniques using deep learning on OCT images are being developed to detect various retinal disorders at an early stage. Here, we propose a deep learning-based automatic method for detecting and classifying retinal diseases using OCT images. The diseases include age-related macular degeneration, branch retinal vein occlusion, central retinal vein occlusion, central serous chorioretinopathy, and diabetic macular edema. The proposed method comprises four main steps: three pretrained models, DenseNet-201, InceptionV3, and ResNet-50, are first modified according to the nature of the dataset, after which the features are extracted via transfer learning. The extracted features are improved, and the best features are selected using ant colony optimization. Finally, the best features are passed to the k-nearest neighbors and support vector machine algorithms for final classification. The proposed method, evaluated using OCT retinal images collected from Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, demonstrates an accuracy of 99.1% with the incorporation of ACO. Without ACO, the accuracy achieved is 97.4%. Furthermore, the proposed method exhibits state-of-the-art performance and outperforms existing techniques in terms of accuracy.

Comparison of Nailfold Videocapillaroscopy with Retinal and Choroidal Vascular Parameters in Patients with Central Serous Chorioretinopathy

AIM

This study seeks to evaluate the results of nailfold videocapillaroscopies (NVCs) among patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and their correlation with the choroid and retinal parameters.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The examined group included 152 patients with acute, recurrent, chronic and neovascular CSC (34 F, 118 M, mean age 45.9 ± 8.9) and 41 healthy controls (12 F, 29 M, mean age 47 ± 11.5). The NVC examination, ophthalmoscopy, angio-OCT and OCT were performed. In addition, the medical history regarding chronic general disorders and known risk factors were recorded.

RESULTS

Abnormal NVC patterns and the dilated apical part of capillaries were found only in CSC patients (p = 0.000). Neoangiogenesis was observed in 25 acute (58.14%), 22 recurrent (42.31%), 16 chronic (36.36%) and 5 neovascular patients (45.45%) and 2 control subjects (4.88%) (p = 0.000). Glomerular capillaries were found in 8 acute (18.6%), 17 recurrent (31.48%), 25 chronic (56.82%) and 8 neovascular patients (72.73%) (p = 0.000). Meandering capillaries were more common in acute and recurrent CSC and glomerular capillaries were more common in chronic and aneurysmal dilations in neovascular CSC.

CONCLUSIONS

The observed digital microcirculation abnormalities in patients with CSC, such as dilation, meandering, tortuosity and glomerular, may confirm systemic micro-vasculopathy. The potential role of the NVC examination in assessing the CSC prognosis requires further evaluation.

Continuous Eplerenone Treatment in Chronic Central Serous Chorioretinopathy: Long-Term Results from a Pilot Study

Purpose

To assess the long-term morpho-functional retinal and choroidal changes in chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (cCSC) pachychoroid eyes in response to continuous oral eplerenone (EPL) treatment.

Methods

This pilot study was conducted on patients with unilateral exudative cCSC. We enrolled a total of 17 exudative cCSC and 17 non-exudative fellow eyes of 17 patients. Baseline best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and anatomical (structural optical coherence tomography [OCT] and OCT angiography) parameters in both eyes were collected at baseline. Follow-up data were collected at 6, 12, and 48 months after initiation of EPL treatment.

Results

(i) Exudative cCSC eyes: Compared with baseline (0.34±0.13 LogMAR), BCVA significantly improved at follow-up examinations (6 months: 0.28±0.13 LogMAR, p=0.039; 12 months: 0.22±0.11 LogMAR, p=0.025; 48 months: 0.21±0.08 LogMAR, p=0.028). Furthermore, there was a significant reduction from baseline in all structural OCT parameters (subretinal fluid and subfoveal choroidal thickness [SFCT]; p<0.05). (ii) Non-exudative fellow eyes: There was no significant change in BCVA. There was a significant reduction from baseline in SFCT and choriocapillaris flow deficit percentage (p<0.05).

Conclusion

In this pilot study, continuous oral EPL therapy in cCSC pachychoroid eyes resulted in long-term morpho-functional improvement. The beneficial effect of EPL occurred within the first year and was maintained after four years. Based on these preliminary observations, EPL may be effective in the exudative forms of CSC.

Central serous chorioretinopathy following oral quetiapine

Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is a chorioretinal disease that is characterized by central vision loss and is usually seen in middle-aged males. It has been associated with the use of various drugs, including corticosteroids and phosphodiesterase inhibitors. We present the case of a 36-year-old male who developed CSCR after a few weeks of irregular use of quetiapine for his sleep problems. The clinical findings of the patient improved shortly after he stopped using the drug, and at the end of the two-month period complete recovery was observed. Quetiapine is an atypical antipsychotic that exerts its effects on dopamine and serotonin receptors. There are studies showing that these neurotransmitters may play a role in the control of choroidal vascular permeability, which is the underlying cause of CSCR. Therefore, we believe that quetiapine may have a causal relationship with CSCR. To our knowledge, this is the first case report documenting full recovery from quetiapine associated CSCR.

Acquired Focal Choroidal Excavation Secondary to Pachychoroid Choroidal Neovascular Membrane After Central Serous Chorioretinopathy

Purpose: To report a case of acquired conforming-type focal choroidal excavation (FCE) secondary to a pachychoroid choroidal neovascular membrane (CNVM) triggered by central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR). Methods: A case and its findings were analyzed. Results: A 54-year-old Asian man who had spontaneous resolution of CSCR in the right eye presented with a pachychoroid CNVM and FCE 1 year after the initial CSCR diagnosis. Intravitreal antivascular endothelial growth factor injections were initiated, and the subretinal fluid and intraretinal hemorrhage resolved. The patient was followed for FCE progression for 3 years. Conclusions: Acquired FCE can occur secondary to CSCR and pachychoroid CNVM. The pathogenesis may be focal choroidal ischemia, choroidal vascular collapse, and fibrosis leading to choroidal excavation. This case highlights the progression of the spectrum of pachychoroid disorders from CSCR, pachychoroid CNVM, and subsequent acquired confirming-type FCE. Further research is needed to assess other diseases leading to acquired FCE and to determine the underlying mechanism.

Risk of retinopathy in women with pregnancy-induced hypertension: a nationwide population-based cohort study of 9-year follow-up after delivery

BACKGROUND

The retina is potentially associated with several physiological, hormonal, and metabolic changes during pregnancy. The few available epidemiologic studies of ocular changes in pregnancy have mainly concerned retinopathies. Pregnancy-induced hypertension, which leads to ocular manifestations including blurred vision, photopsia, scotoma, and diplopia, might induce reactive changes in the retinal vessels. Although several studies have suggested the existence of pregnancy-induced hypertension-related retinal ocular disease, there are few large cohort studies on this topic.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the risk of major retinal diseases including central serous chorioretinopathy, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, retinal artery occlusion, and hypertensive retinopathy in the long-term postpartum stage according to the presence of previous pregnancy-induced hypertension in a large cohort based on the Korean National Health Insurance Database.

STUDY DESIGN

On the basis of Korean health data, 909,520 patients who delivered from 2012 to 2013 were analyzed. Among them, patients who had previous ocular diseases or hypertension and multiple births were excluded. Finally, 858,057 mothers were assessed for central serous chorioretinopathy (ICD-10: H35.70), diabetic retinopathy (ICD-10: H36.0, E10.31, E10.32, E11.31, E11.32, E12.31, E13.31, E13.32, E14.31, E14.32), retinal vein occlusion (ICD-10: H34.8), retinal artery occlusion (ICD-10: H34.2), and hypertensive retinopathy (ICD-10: H35.02) for 9 years after delivery. Enrolled patients were divided into 2 groups: 10,808 patients with and 847,249 without pregnancy-induced hypertension. The primary outcomes were the incidence of central serous chorioretinopathy, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, retinal artery occlusion, and hypertensive retinopathy 9 years after delivery. Clinical variables were age, parity, cesarean delivery, gestational diabetes mellitus, and postpartum hemorrhage. In addition, pregestational diabetes mellitus, kidney diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, and cardiovascular diseases were adjusted.

RESULTS

Postpartum retinal disease during the 9 years after delivery and total retinal diseases showed higher rates in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension. In detail, the rates of central serous chorioretinopathy (0.3% vs 0.1%), diabetic retinopathy (1.79% vs 0.5%), retinal vein occlusion (0.19% vs 0.1%), and hypertensive retinopathy (0.62% vs 0.05%) were higher than those found in patients without pregnancy-induced hypertension. After adjusting for confounding factors, pregnancy-induced hypertension was associated with development of postpartum retinopathy, with a >2-fold increase (hazard ratio, 2.845; 95% confidence interval, 2.54-3.188). Furthermore, pregnancy-induced hypertension affected the development of central serous chorioretinopathy (hazard ratio, 3.681; 95% confidence interval, 2.667-5.082), diabetic retinopathy (hazard ratio, 2.326; 95% confidence interval, 2.013-2.688), retinal vein occlusion (hazard ratio, 2.241; 95% confidence interval, 1.491-3.368), and hypertensive retinopathy (hazard ratio, 11.392; 95% confidence interval, 8.771-14.796) after delivery.

CONCLUSION

A history of pregnancy-induced hypertension increases the risk of central serous chorioretinopathy, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, and hypertensive retinopathy according to 9-year long-term ophthalmologic follow-up.

Efficacy and safety of subthreshold micropulse laser in the treatment of acute central serous chorioretinopathy

AIM

To analyze the efficacy and safety of subthreshold micropulse laser (SML) in the treatment of acute central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).

METHODS

This is a retrospective case analysis study. Totally 58 eyes of 58 patients were enrolled, and they were divided into different groups. And 39 patients were treated with SML (SML group) and 19 patients were only observed (observation group). The follow-up period was 3mo after diagnosis. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central retinal thickness (CRT), superficial retinal vascular density (SRVD), deep retinal vascular density (DRVD), the superficial and deep foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area, retinal light sensitivity (RLS), perfusion area of choroidal capillary layer (CCL), subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and fundus autofluorescence (FAF) were investigated.

RESULTS

The BCVA, CRT, SRVD, DRVD, the superficial and deep FAZ area, RLS, SFCT of SML group were significantly improved at 3mo (all P<0.05). In the observation group, only CRT, DRVD and SFCT were improved (all P<0.05). Other research items in the observation group were not significantly different from baseline (all P>0.05). At the last follow-up, the BCVA and RLS in the SML group were better than those in the observation group, and CRT was lower, SRVD and DRVD, perfusion area of CCL were larger (all P<0.05). On FAF, no change of treatment spots was found after treatment. No structural laser damage was observed on optical coherence tomography (OCT) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), and no choroidal neovascularization was observed.

CONCLUSION

SML treatment of acute CSC can improve BCVA, RLS, and perfusion area of CCL, reduce CRT, increase SRVD and DRVD, and is safe.

Central Serous Chorioretinopathy by Autofluorescence, Enface and SLO-Retromode Imaging

The aim of our study was to investigate the clinical features of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) with autofluorescence (AF), retromode (RM), and enface imaging. This retrospective study was conducted at Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome (Italy), between September and December 2022. Each patient underwent a complete ophthalmological examination, which included optical coherence tomography (OCT), enface image analysis, AF, and RM imaging. We further evaluated the presence and area of extension of serous retinal detachment and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) atrophy through AF, RM, and enface imaging. We included 32 eyes from 27 patients (mean age: 52.7 ± 13.3 years). The median AF area was 19.5 mm² (IQR 6.1-29.3), while the median RM area was 12.3 mm² (IQR 8.1-30.8), and the median enface area was 9.3 mm² (IQR 4.8-18.6). RPE atrophy was diagnosed in 26 cases (81.3%) with RM imaging and in 75% of cases with AF. No difference emerged between AF and RM analysis in the detection of central serous detachment in CSC. However, RM imaging showed a high specificity (91.7%) and negative predictive value (84.6%) to detect RPE changes when compared to the AF standard-of-care technique. Thus, RM imaging could be considered an adjunctive imaging method in CSC.

Scientific Literature Database Coverage of Randomized Clinical Trials for Central Serous Chorioretinopathy

BACKGROUND

Systematic literature searches are the cornerstone of systematic reviews. In this study, we evaluated database coverage of randomized clinical trials for central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).

METHODS

We searched 12 databases (BIOSIS Previews, CINAHL, the Cochrane Central, Current Contents Connect, Data Citation Index, Derwent Innovations Index, EMBASE, KCI-Korean Journal Database, MEDLINE, PubMed, SciELO Citation Index, and Web of Science Core Collection) on 10 April 2023 for randomized clinical trials for CSC. After identifying all eligible studies across all databases, we investigated the coverage of these studies within each database, including the coverage of any combination of two databases.

RESULTS

The 12 databases yielded 848 records for screening, of which 76 were randomized clinical trials for CSC. No single database provided full coverage. The most comprehensive coverage was provided by EMBASE (88%), the Cochrane Central (87%), and PubMed (75%). A combined search in the Cochrane Central and PubMed led to complete coverage (100%) while reducing the number of records for screening from 848 to 279.

CONCLUSIONS

Systematic review search design should include multiple databases. For randomized clinical trials for CSC, the combination of the Cochrane Central and PubMed provides an excellent balance between coverage and workload.

Functional Outcomes and Safety Profile of Trans-Foveal Subthreshold Micropulse Laser in Persistent Central Serous Chorioretinopathy

Our study evaluated visual function changes after subthreshold micropulse laser (SML) treatment in persistent central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and SML safety profile. We conducted a prospective study including 31 fovea-involving CSC patients. The natural course was observed for the first 3 months, SML was performed at 3 months, and SML effectiveness was observed at 6 months. At all three clinical visits, optical coherence tomography (OCT), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), contrast sensitivity (CS) in five spatial frequencies (1.5, 3.0, 6.0, 12.0, and 18.0 cycles per degree (cpd)), microperimetry (MP), and multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) were performed. The SML safety profile was evaluated with functional and morphological parameters. In the cohort of all CSC patients treated with SML, the statistically significant average improvement was observed in BCVA (p = 0.007), CS-1.5 (p = 0.020), CS-3.0 (p = 0.050), CS-12.0 (p < 0.001), CS-18.0 (p = 0.002), CS (CS-A) (p < 0.001), MP in the central ring (MP-C) (p = 0.020), peripheral ring (MP-P) (p = 0.042), and average retinal sensitivity (MP-A) (p = 0.010). After the SML treatment, mean changes in mfERG amplitudes and implicit times in our cohort were not statistically significant. No morphological or functional adverse effects of SML treatment were observed. SML treatment in persistent CSC episodes leads to significant functional improvement and has an excellent safety profile.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Central Serous Chorioretinopathy in Patients with Scleritis

Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is characterized by central neurosensory retinal detachment from the retinal pigment epithelium. While the association between CSCR and steroid use is widely recognized, it is difficult to distinguish whether the subretinal fluid (SRF) in ocular inflammatory disease results from steroid use or an inflammation-related uveal effusion. We report the case of a 40-year-old man who presented to our department with intermittent redness and dull pain in both eyes that had persisted for three months. He was diagnosed with scleritis with SRF in both eyes and steroid therapy was started. Inflammation improved with steroid use, but SRF increased. This indicated that the fluid was not caused by the posterior scleritis-related uveal effusion but by steroid use. SRF and clinical symptoms subsided after steroids were discontinued completely and immunomodulatory therapy was initiated. Our study highlights that steroid-associated CSCR must be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with scleritis, and prompt diagnosis with an immediate shift from steroids to immunomodulatory therapy can resolve SRF and clinical symptoms.

Evaluation of the Retinal Vessel Density and Subfoveal Choroidal Thickness in Central Cerous Chorioretinopathy Using Optical Coherence Tomography

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to quantitatively assess changes in the subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and superficial retinal vessel density (SRVD) in acute and chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) patients, and estimate the correlation of SFCT and SRVD with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), respectively, using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional, case-control study. The study included CSCR patients treated at the Ho Chi Minh City Eye Hospital from May 2022 to October 2022.

RESULTS

A total of 91 subjects (182 eyes) were included in this study, with 74 eyes in the unilateral acute CSCR group and 17 eyes in the unilateral chronic CSCR group; 91 eyes in the control group were patients' unaffected other eyes. The mean age was 40.78 ± 1.26 years (ranging from 31 to 45 years). The proportions of male and female patients were 78.0% and 22.0%, respectively. The major symptom was reduced vision, and the mean BCVA was 0.36 ± 0.05 logMAR. The mean SFCT of CSCR eyes was 357.2 ± 11.8 μm, which was 290.4 ± 8.5 μm in the control group (p < 0.05). The mean SRVD of chronic CSCR (24.2 ± 4.94%) and acute CSCR (28 ± 2.33%) eyes was lower compared with the control group (21.7 ± 1.87%). SFCT had a correlation with BCVA (r = -0.490, p < 0.05) in chronic CSCR; the center region of SRVD was likewise correlated with BCVA (r = -0.384, p < 0.05) and the parafoveal region of SRVD was also correlated with BCVA (r = -0.271, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Both altered SFCT and SRVD were identified in CSCR patients by SD-OCT and 6 x 6 mm OCT angiography scans, and both were found to be correlated with BCVA. SD-OCT along with OCTA could be a good technique for quantitatively evaluating different CSCR courses.

Management of Atypical Central Serous Chorioretinopathy Mimicking Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease

Purpose: To report a case of multifocal central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) mimicking Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease. Methods: A 42-year-old man was evaluated for an exudative retinal detachment (RD) with a presumptive diagnosis of VKH while being treated with corticosteroids. The examination showed subretinal fibrin deposition with a bullous, exudative, macula-involved RD in the left eye and a progressive decline in visual acuity (VA) to hand motions. Multimodal imaging showed multifocal hyperfluorescent leaks bilaterally by angiography, highly suggestive of CSCR exacerbated by corticosteroids. Results: After the multifocal CSCR diagnosis, the systemic corticosteroids were tapered and eventually discontinued. The patient was then managed with focal laser photocoagulation, photodynamic therapy, and acetazolamide. The VA improved to 20/30 with complete resolution of the bullous RD at the 12-month follow-up. Conclusions: Extensive bullous RD with subretinal fibrin deposition is an infrequent manifestation of CSCR commonly associated with corticosteroid use that can mimic VKH. Thus, it is important to distinguish CSCR from VKH and the potential of combination therapy in managing chronic multifocal CSCR with a bullous RD.

Scleral Thickness as a Risk Factor for Central Serous Chorioretinopathy and Pachychoroid Neovasculopathy

In the pathophysiology of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), scleral changes inducing increased venous outflow resistance are hypothesized to be involved. This work aims to investigate anterior scleral thickness (AST) as a risk factor for pachychoroid disorders. A randomized prospective case-control study was performed at the Ludwig Maximilians University, Department of Ophthalmology. In patients with CSC or pachychoroid neovasculopathy (PNV) and in an age- and refraction-matched control group, swept source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) was used to measure anterior scleral thickness (AST). Subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) was assessed using enhanced depth imaging OCT (EDI-OCT). In total, 46 eyes of 46 patients were included in this study, with 23 eyes in the CSC/PNV and 23 eyes in the control group. A significantly higher AST was found in the CSC/PNV compared with the control group (403.5 ± 68.6 (278 to 619) vs. 362.5 ± 62.6 (218 to 498) µm; p = 0.028). Moreover, the CSC/PNV group showed a higher SFCT (392.8 ± 92.8 (191-523) vs. 330.95 ± 116.5 (167-609) µm, p = 0.004). Compared with the age- and refraction-matched controls, patients with CSC and PNV showed a significantly thicker anterior sclera. Scleral thickness might contribute to the venous overload hypothesized to induce pachychoroid phenotypes.

Analysis of retinal sensitivity between acute and recurrent central serous chorioretinopathy by microperimetry

PURPOSE

To evaluate the retinal sensitivity of macular region in acute and recurrent central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) using microperimetry.

METHODS

This was a retrospective observational study. Twenty-five eyes of 25 subjects diagnosed with either acute or recurrent CSCR without any previous treatment were included in this study. All subjects underwent complete ophthalmological examinations, including central retinal thickness (CRT) using spectral domain OCT and the retinal sensitivity assessments of macular region using microperimeter MP-3. The mean global macular sensitivity (GMS) of 64 loci in the 20° central macular area and the local macular sensitivity (LMS) of the test locations in affected region of serous retinal detachment (SRD) were analyzed.

RESULTS

Twelve eyes of 12 subjects with acute CSCR (Group A) and 13 eyes of 13 subjects with recurrent CSCR (Group R) were enrolled. Clinical parameters, including age, duration, mean LogMAR best-corrected visual acuity and CRT, were not statistically significant (p =0.688, 0.080, 0.222, 0.394, respectively) between Group A and Group R. There were significant differences in the GMS and LMS between the two groups. Compared to group A (24.9±1.6dB), the mean GMS of group R was significantly (p = 0.018) lower (23.0±2.0dB). Furthermore, the mean LMS of group R (20.8 ± 3.4dB) was also significantly lower (p = 0.026) than that of group A (22.3 ± 3.1dB).

CONCLUSIONS

Recurrent CSCR often show worse retinal function in focal areas of the affected macular areas than in acute CSCR. Microperimetry may be a promising method for distinguish between the acute and recurrent CSCR.

Concomitant cavernous sinus thrombosis and central serous chorioretinopathy in a patient with total ophthalmoplegia and monocular blindness: a case report

Cavernous sinus thrombosis (CST) is an unusual condition that can result in high mortality and morbidity rate if not treated immediately.

Case presentation

An Indonesian male, 47 years old, presented with total right ocular ophthalmoplegia followed by blindness, headache, ptosis, periorbital swelling, and hypoesthesia over the left V1 region. MRI of the brain showed suitable cavernous thickening until the right orbital apex, which in contrast showed enhancement suggestive of right Tolosa-Hunt syndrome. The patient was treated with a high dose of steroids, but the patient's complaints did not improve. The patient underwent digital subtraction angiography and found CST. The optical coherence tomography was found to be central serous chorioretinopathy. He was treated with an antibiotic, anticoagulant, and extraction of the right maxillary molar was performed to remove the source of the infection. After 3 weeks, visual acuity and optical coherence tomography examination were improved.

Discussion

A comprehensive examination, such as digital subtraction angiography, is essential to confirm CST diagnosis for the patient to obtain the right therapy. This report highlighted the value of the prompt diagnosis of CST through neuroimaging and the importance of proper therapy in patient management.

Conclusions

Early diagnosis, comprehensive examination, and proper treatment of CST will increase good prognosis.

Intervortex Venous Anastomosis in the Macula in Central Serous Chorioretinopathy Imaged by En Face Optical Coherence Tomography

PURPOSE

To assess the presence of macular intervortex venous anastomosis in central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) patients using en face optical coherence tomography (EF-OCT).

METHODS

A cross-sectional study where EF-OCT 6 × 6 and 12 × 12 mm macular scans of patients with unilateral chronic CSCR were evaluated for anastomosis between vortex vein systems in the central macula. The presence of prominent anastomoses was defined as a connection with a diameter ≥150 µm between the inferotemporal and superotemporal vortex vein systems which crossed the temporal raphe. Three groups were studied: CSCR eyes (with an active disease with the presence of neurosensorial detachment; n = 135), fellow unaffected eyes (n = 135), and healthy eyes as controls (n = 110). Asymmetries, abrupt termination, sausaging, bulbosities and corkscrew appearance were also assessed.

RESULTS

In 79.2% of the CSCR eyes there were prominent anastomoses in the central macula between the inferotemporal and superotemporal vortex vein systems, being more frequent than in fellow eyes and controls (51.8% and 58.2% respectively). The number of anastomotic connections was higher in the affected eye group (2.9 ± 1.8) than in the unaffected fellow eye group (2.1 ± 1.7) and the controls (1.5 ± 1.6) (p < 0.001). Asymmetry, abrupt terminations and the corkscrew appearance of the choroidal vessels were more frequent in the affected eyes, although no differences in sausaging or bulbosities were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Intervortex venous anastomoses in the macula were common in CSCR, being more frequently observed in affected eyes than in fellow unaffected eyes and healthy controls. This anatomical variation could have important implications concerning the pathogenesis and classification of the disease.

Multimodal Imaging Based Predictors for the Development of Choroidal Neovascularization in Patients with Central Serous Chorioretinopathy

This study evaluated predictors for choroidal neovascularization (CNV) associated with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) based on multimodal imaging. A retrospective multicenter chart review was conducted on 134 eyes of 132 consecutive patients with CSCR. Eyes were classified as per the multimodal imaging-based classification of CSCR at baseline into simple/complex CSCR and primary episode/recurrent/resolved CSCR. Baseline characteristics of CNV and predictors were evaluated with ANOVA. In 134 eyes with CSCR, 32.8% had CNV (n = 44) with 72.7% having complex CSCR (n = 32), 22.7% having simple (n = 10) and 4.5% having atypical (n = 2). Primary CSCR with CNV were older (58 vs. 47, p = 0.00003), with worse visual acuity (0.56 vs. 0.75, p = 0.01) and of longer duration (median 7 vs. 1, p = 0.0002) than those without CNV. Similarly, recurrent CSCR with CNV were older (61 vs. 52, p = 0.004) than those without CNV. Patients with complex CSCR were 2.72 times more likely to have CNV than patients with simple CSCR. In conclusion, CNV associated with CSCR was more likely in complex CSCR and older age of presentation. Both primary and recurrent CSCR are implicated in CNV development. Patients with complex CSCR were 2.72 times more likely to have CNV than patients with simple CSCR. Multimodal imaging-based classification of CSCR supports detailed analysis of associated CNV.

Comparative efficacy of treatments for chronic central serous chorioretinopathy: A systematic review with network meta-analyses

Treatment of chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (cCSC) remains a topic of controversy. As cCSC is a disease that can wax and wane, treatment efficacy is difficult to assess especially when trials compare active treatments without any placebo/control group. In this study, we systematically reviewed short-term efficacies of any cCSC treatment tested in randomized controlled trials (RCT) and employed network meta-analyses to compare to non-treatment controls. We searched 11 literature databases on 20 March 2022 for RCTs of treatment of cCSC. We identified 17 RCTs including a total of 1172 eyes. Treatments included conventional laser (44 eyes), half-dose or half-fluence photodynamic therapy (PDT) (298 eyes), ranibizumab (16 eyes), antioxidants (50 eyes), mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (187 eyes), rifampicin (91 eyes), selective retina therapy (SRT) (67 eyes) and subthreshold micropulse laser (192 eyes). Compared with controls, significant benefit on complete subretinal fluid resolution was only obtained from half-dose or half-fluence PDT (OR: 20.6; 95% CI: 6.3-66.7; p < 0.0001) and conventional laser (OR: 36.4; 95% CI: 2.0-655.7; p = 0.015), and at an order of magnitude lower degree from SRT (OR: 3.4; 95% CI: 1.7-6.8; p = 0.00075). Compared with controls and after sensitivity analyses, significant benefit in the change in best-corrected visual acuity was only obtained by half-dose/-fluence PDT (-0.13 logMAR; 95% CI: -0.20 to -0.06 logMAR; p = 0.00021). In conclusion, three treatment options provide significant improvement over no treatment: half-dose/-fluence PDT, conventional laser and to a much lesser degree SRT. Considering that conventional laser can only be applied for extrafoveal leaks, and the long-term data available for PDT-based treatments finding persisting treatment results, half-dose or half-fluence PDT is the only viable treatment option for patients with cCSC. Shortage issues with verteporfin should not lead to employment of ineffective treatment modalities, as they put patients at unnecessary risk of adverse events.

Assessment of Retinal Pigment Epithelium Alterations and Chorioretinal Vascular Network Analyses in Patients under Treatment with BRAF/MEK Inhibitor for Different Malignancies: A Pilot Study

In the last two decades, an increasing number of so-called molecular-targeted therapies have become available for the treatment of patients with advanced malignancies. These drugs have included inhibitors of proteins in the MAPK pathway, such as BRAF and MEK inhibitors, which are characterized by a distinct toxicity profile. The eye is particularly susceptible to adverse effects due to MEK inhibitors, and the term MEKAR (MEK-inhibitor-associated retinopathy) indicates the presence of subretinal fluid, mimicking central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). The pathogenesis of the retinal alterations related to MAPK pathway inhibitors is still unclear, and questions are still open. The present study aims to assess the presence of retinal pigment epithelium alterations as predictive parameters for retinal toxicity, analyzing, at the same time, the chorioretinal vascular network in patients undergoing BRAF/MEK inhibitor treatment for different malignancies.

Safety and efficacy of the pan-FGFR inhibitor erdafitinib in advanced urothelial carcinoma and other solid tumors: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

This review aimed to comprehensively analyze the safety and efficacy of erdafitinib in treating advanced and metastatic urothelial carcinoma and other solid tumors.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched until 10 February 2022. The safety outcome as adverse events and efficacy outcomes, including objective response rate, stable disease rates, and progressive disease rates, were selected and analyzed by comprehensive meta-analysis version 3.0 and STATA 15.0.

Results

The most common all-grade adverse events were hyperphosphatemia, dry mouth, stomatitis, diarrhea, and dysgeusia. The occurrence of ≥3 adverse events was relatively low, and stomatitis and hyponatremia were the most common. Moreover, eye disorders could not be ignored. Efficacy in urothelial carcinoma patients was obviously better than in other solid tumor patients, with a higher objective response rate (0.38 versus 0.10) and lower progressive disease rate (0.26 versus 0.68). All responses occurred in patients with fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) alteration. In those patients, a specific FGFR alteration (FGFR3-TACC3) was observed to have a maximum response.

Conclusion

Erdafitinib has satisfactory clinical activity for metastatic urothelial carcinoma and other solid tumors, while the toxicity is acceptable. With more RCTs and combination therapy trials published, erdafitinib will be applied widely.

Relationship Between Scleral Thickness and Choroidal Structure in Central Serous Chorioretinopathy

Purpose

Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) is a retinal disorder characterized by serous retinal detachment with or without pigment epithelial detachment in the posterior pole of the eye. We aimed to elucidate the relationship between scleral thickness and choroidal structure in CSC eyes.

Methods

This single-center retrospective study included 111 eyes of 111 CSC patients. Using swept-source optical coherence tomography, the horizontal cross-sectional images of the posterior choroid were converted to binary images by semiautomated software. The luminal and stromal areas of the choroid were measured, and the luminal/stromal (L/S) ratios of the whole choroid (WC), inner choroid, and outer choroid (OC) at 1500 µm, 3000 µm, and 7500 µm ranges centered on the fovea were calculated. Correlations of L/S ratio and age, spherical equivalent, axial length, subfoveal choroidal thickness (SCT), and scleral thickness were determined. Scleral thickness was measured vertically, 6 mm posterior to the scleral spur in four directions.

Results

SCT and mean scleral thickness were significantly positively correlated with the L/S ratio in all ranges of WC and OC. Multiple regression analysis found that SCT and mean scleral thickness were significantly correlated with the L/S ratio, and the strength of correlation of mean scleral thickness (WC: 0.386, P < 0.001; OC: 0.391, P < 0.001) was greater than that of SCT (WC: 0.368, P < 0.001; OC: 0.383, P < 0.001) in 7500 µm range.

Conclusions

Thick sclera appeared to play a role in an increase in the luminal component of the posterior choroid in CSC eyes.

Refractory Age-Related Macular Degeneration Due to Concurrent Central Serous Chorioretinopathy in Previously Well-Controlled Eyes

Background: During the treatment of age-related macular degeneration with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs, we often see cases with anti-VEGF-resistant refractory subretinal fluid. In this report, we present two cases of anti-VEGF-resistant refractory age-related macular degeneration (AMD) due to the concurrent development of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) in eyes previously well controlled with intravitreal anti-VEGF injections. Case presentation: Two patients underwent intravitreal aflibercept for the treatment of neovascular AMD. Initially, both patients responded well to intravitreal aflibercept, resulting in the complete resolution of the subretinal fluid. However, both patients subsequently developed sudden-onset refractory subretinal fluid that did not respond to repeated intravitreal aflibercept. Fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography, and swept-source optical coherence tomography revealed focal leakage spots, choroidal hyperpermeability, and dilated choroidal vessels, respectively, which were distinct from the pre-existing choroidal neovascularization and suggestive of newly developed CSCR. Laser photocoagulation of the leak spots resulted in the complete resolution of the once-refractory subretinal fluid and the maintenance of vision. Conclusions: Our cases highlight that anti-VEGF-refractory subretinal fluid may occur secondary to concurrent CSCR in patients receiving regular anti-VEGF treatments for AMD. In those patients, treatment for CSCR is effective for controlling subretinal fluid that is unresolved by anti-VEGF treatment.

OCT and OCT Angiography Update: Clinical Application to Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Central Serous Chorioretinopathy, Macular Telangiectasia, and Diabetic Retinopathy

Similar to ultrasound adapting soundwaves to depict the inner structures and tissues, optical coherence tomography (OCT) utilizes low coherence light waves to assess characteristics in the eye. Compared to the previous gold standard diagnostic imaging fluorescein angiography, OCT is a noninvasive imaging modality that generates images of ocular tissues at a rapid speed. Two commonly used iterations of OCT include spectral-domain (SD) and swept-source (SS). Each comes with different wavelengths and tissue penetration capacities. OCT angiography (OCTA) is a functional extension of the OCT. It generates a large number of pixels to capture the tissue and underlying blood flow. This allows OCTA to measure ischemia and demarcation of the vasculature in a wide range of conditions. This review focused on the study of four commonly encountered diseases involving the retina including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy (DR), central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), and macular telangiectasia (MacTel). Modern imaging techniques including SD-OCT, TD-OCT, SS-OCT, and OCTA assist with understanding the disease pathogenesis and natural history of disease progression, in addition to routine diagnosis and management in the clinical setting. Finally, this review compares each imaging technique's limitations and potential refinements.

Central serous chorioretinopathy: A review

Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) is the fourth most common non-surgical retinopathy associated with fluid leakage. The pathogenesis is not yet completely understood, but changes in the choroid, sclera and RPE have been described associated with venous congestion of choroidal outflow. CSC can be categorised into acute, chronic, and recurrent subtypes with recent classifications of simple and complex based on the area of RPE change seen on fundus autofluorescence. A multimodal imaging approach is helpful in the diagnosis and management of CSC and secondary complications such as type 1 neovascularisation. Although spontaneous resolution with relatively good visual outcomes is common, treatment should be considered in patients with persistent or recurrent SRF. Treatment options include laser, systemic medications, intravitreal therapy, and surgery. Of these, argon laser for focal extramacular fluid leaks and photodynamic therapy of leakage identified by indocyanine-green angiography currently have the greatest supportive evidence.

[Subthreshold micropulse laser treatment of the foveal region in chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (case study)]

The article presents a clinical case of subthreshold micropulse laser (SML) treatment of chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) in the left eye of a 44-year-old female patient K. with dye allergy. The patient first noticed a gray spot, distortion of objects in February, 2018. During 2018-2020 she suffered 5 relapses, repeated unsuccessful conservative treatment, and completed a course of antiangiogenic therapy in the form of three monthly intravitreal injections of ranibizumab. After experiencing stress on 11.08.20 she noted acute deterioration. Laser treatment was carried out on 20.09.20 with the Navilas 577s navigation system (wavelength 577 nm). After the power titration and calculation, the contact-free subthreshold micropulse laser treatment was carried out without anesthesia in three zones: 200 mW for fovea, 240 mW for parafovea and 340 mW for periphovea. Other settings: pulse duration - 200 ms, spot diameter - 100 µm, duty cycle - 5%. Total number of laser pulses - 1000. The retina reattached completely despite the patient having previously recovered from the coronavirus infection and the use of corticosteroids.

Prevalence of choroidal nevi in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy

Background

A number of articles report the association of polypoidal lesions and choroidal nevi; however, the relationship between choroidal nevi and pachychoroidal disorders has not been studied.

Objectives

To study the prevalence of choroidal nevi in central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) patients and to elucidate potential differences in the clinical characteristics of CSCR in patients with and without choroidal nevi.

Design

Case-control study.

Methods

This study included a retrospective analysis of medical records and multimodal imaging data of CSCR patients and a prospective evaluation of the prevalence of the choroidal nevi in age- and sex-matched healthy controls. All participants received comprehensive ophthalmic examination and multimodal imaging including infrared scanning laser ophthalmoscopy in dark-field mode to detect choroidal nevi in the central 40° × 60° region.

Results

A total of 199 CSCR patients (160 males and 39 females, 47.9 ± 9.4 years) and 184 age-matched healthy individuals (139 males and 45 females, 44.8 ± 12.5 years) were included. Choroidal nevi were detected in 24 (12.1%) CSCR patients and 10 (5.4%) healthy controls (p = 0.01). CSCR patients with choroidal nevi had statistically significantly higher subfoveal choroidal thickness, lower best-corrected visual acuity, and lower central retinal thickness (p < 0.05) than CSCR patients without choroidal nevi. The odds ratio for the presence of chronic CSCR in patients with choroidal nevi was 27.0 (95% CI: 3.1-231.9, p = 0.003).

Conclusion

The prevalence of choroidal nevi among patients with CSCR is higher than in age- and sex-matched healthy population. Choroidal nevi may be associated with chronic CSCR.

Photoreceptor outer segment layer thinning as a biomarker in acute central serous chorioretinopathy

Background

The photoreceptor outer segment (PROS) layer demonstrates focal thinning above the fluorescein leakage in acute central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC); however, the nature of this phenomenon is not known.

Objectives

To study the relationship between the PROS layer and thickness of the outer retinal layers above the fluorescein leakage in newly diagnosed acute CSC.

Design

Single-center retrospective study.

Methods

All participants received multimodal imaging, including fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography. Thickness of PROS, outer nuclear layer (ONL), and ONL-outer plexiform layer (OPL) complex was measured above the leakage and outside the leakage within the area of neurosensory detachment. The number of intraretinal hyperreflective foci of the outer retina was counted. The correlation between PROS thickness and ONL, OPL-ONL complex thickness, and the number of intraretinal hyperreflective foci was calculated.

Results

Fifty eyes of 48 patients (38 males and 10 females, 43.8 ± 10.6 years) with a mean symptom duration of 1.4 ± 1.3 months were included. PROS thickness above the fluorescein leakage showed a statistically significant correlation with ONL thickness, OPL-ONL complex thickness, and the number of hyperreflective foci in the outer retina, 0.57, 0.60, and -0.46, respectively (p < 0.001). Measuring the extent of PROS thinning above the leakage in newly diagnosed CSC allowed to predict self-resolution of subretinal fluid. The greatest linear dimension of PROS thinning showed an area under the receiver operating curve (ROC) curve of 0.98. The cases without PROS thinning had the fastest resolution of subretinal fluid.

Conclusion

PROS thinning above the fluorescein leakage in acute CSC is associated with thinning of the outer retinal layers and reveals mild outer retinal atrophy. The absence of PROS thinning predicts faster resolution of CSC.

[Choroidal neovascularization in central serous chorioretinopathy]

The literature review discusses the features of the pathogenesis, differential diagnosis and antiangiogenic therapy of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) associated with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), with particular attention given to the choice of antiangiogenic drug and therapy regimen to achieve optimal anatomical and functional outcomes in patients with CSC complicated by CNV.