Central serous chorioretinopathy

Central serous chorioretinopathy is an eye condition in which fluid builds up under the retina. This can cause distorted vision. The fluid leaks from a layer of tissue under the retina, called the choroid. The layer of cells between the retina and choroid is called the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). When the retinal pigment epithelium does not function properly, fluid builds up under the retina or the retinal pigment epithelium, resulting in visual distortion.

Central serous chorioretinopathy usually affects only one eye at a time, but both eyes can be affected simultaneously.

Symptoms of central serous chorioretinopathy may include:

• distorted, weakened, or blurred central vision
• a dark area in central vision
• straight lines may appear bent, crooked, or irregular 
• objects may appear smaller or farther away
• when you look at a white object, it may appear to have a brownish tint or appear darker in color

Who is at risk of developing central serous chorioretinopathy?

Men between the ages of 30 and 50 are more likely to develop central serous chorioretinopathy than women. Stress is a major risk factor. People who experience a lot of stress may be more likely to develop central serous chorioretinopathy.

Other risk factors for central serous chorioretinopathy are:

• use of steroids (oral, intravenous or even inhaled)
• Helicobacter pylori infection (a type of bacteria that can infect the stomach)
• autoimmune diseases (when the body attacks its own tissues)
• sleep disorders such as insomnia (having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep) or sleep apnea (when breathing is interrupted during sleep)
• Type A behavior (aggressive and competitive behavior)
• hypertension (high blood pressure)

Diagnosis

A retinal exam must be performed

Special pictures of your eye may be taken and a fluorescein angiogram may be performed. During this, a dye is injected into a vein in your arm. The dye travels throughout your body, including your eyes. Your doctor takes pictures of your eye as the dye passes through the blood vessels in your retina. The dye will show up abnormal areas in your eye. This can help find areas of central serous chorioretinopathy.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) also helps your doctor look at the retina. A device scans the back of the eye and provides detailed 3D images of the retina. This helps measure the thickness of the retina and detect retinal edema.

Treatment

Most cases of central serous chorioretinopathyresolve in a month or two without any treatment. During this time, your eye doctor will examine you to check the fluid is being absorbed. Sometimes there may be severe vision loss or the fluid collection is not being absorbed. In these cases, laser therapy, photodynamic therapy, or oral medications may be used. These treatments can control the leakage and restore vision.

Most people with central serous chorioretinopathy regain good vision even without treatment. But vision may not be as good as it was before the condition. This is because long-term fluid buildup can lead to permanent vision loss.