The long-term outcome of central serous chorioretinopathy
E. Y. Yap and D. M. Robertson
Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn, USA.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the long-term outcome of central serous
chorioretinopathy (CSR) among a group of patients who previously
participated in a prospective argon laser photocoagulation study of CSR.
DESIGN: Thirty-eight of 41 surviving patients with CSR participating in an
earlier study were invited to participate in a follow-up study that
included history taking, ophthalmoscopy, biomicroscopy, and fundus
photography. RESULTS: Thirty-seven (38 eyes) of 38 surviving patients (97%)
were available for follow-up between 11 and 15 years after participation in
the earlier study. There were no clinically documented or historical
recurrences of CSR among the six eyes previously treated by direct laser
photocoagulation. There were 13 clinically documented recurrences and four
historical recurrences among the 32 eyes not treated with direct laser
photocoagulation. The difference in recurrences was statistically
significant (P = .02). Pigment changes indistinguishable from age-related
macular degeneration frequently occurred in eyes with CSR. The difference
in the development of such pigment changes between eyes with CSR (33 of 38)
and nonaffected fellow eyes (12 of 35) was significant (P = .001).
CONCLUSIONS: The decreased rate of CSR recurrence after direct laser
photocoagulation reported in an earlier study was sustained with follow-up
beyond 10 years. Pigmentary changes in the fundus indistinguishable from
those associated with age-related macular degeneration developed in eyes
affected with CSR, probably as a consequence of the presence of subretinal
fluid accompanying the CSR rather than from early age-related macular
degeneration.
