2. • Central serous choroidopathy is a disease that
causes fluid to build up under the retina, the
back part of the inner eye that sends sight
information to the brain. The fluid leaks from
the blood vessel layer under the retina. This
area is called the choroid.
3.
4. Causes, incidence, and risk factors
• The cause of this condition is unknown.
• Men are affected more often than women, and
the condition is most common at around age
45, but anyone can be affected.
• Stress appears to be a risk factor. Early studies
found that people with aggressive, "type A"
personalities who are under a lot of stress may be
more likely to develop central serous retinopathy.
• The condition can also occur as a complication of
steroid drug use
5. Symptoms
• Dim and blurred blind spot in the centre of
vision
• Distortion of straight lines with the affected
eye
• Objects appearing smaller or farther away
with the affected eye
6. Signs and tests
• Your health care provider can usually diagnose
central serous choroidopathy by dilating the
eye and performing an eye exam. Fluorescein
angiography confirms the diagnosis.
• It may be done with a noninvasive test called
ocular coherence tomography (OCT).
7.
8. Treatment
• Most cases clear up without treatment in 1 or 2
months. Patients with more severe leakage and
more severe visual loss, or those in whom the
disease lasts longer, may be helped by laser
treatment or photodynamic therapy to seal the
leak and attempt to restore vision.
• Patients who are using steroid drugs (for
example, to treat autoimmune diseases) should
stop using them, if possible. Any change in
steroid drug use in these conditions must be
under the supervision of a physician
9. Expectations (prognosis)
• Most patients recover good vision without
treatment, although it's often not as good as it
was before the condition occurred.
• The disease returns in about half of all
patients, and has a similarly good outlook.
Rarely, patients develop permanent scars that
damage their central vision.
10. Complications
• A small number of patients will have
complications of laser treatment that impair
central vision. That is why most patients will
be allowed to recover without treatment.
11. Calling your health care provider
• Call your health care provider if your vision
gets worse.
12. Prevention
• There is no known prevention. Although there
is a clear association with stress, there is no
evidence that reducing stress has any benefit
in preventing or treating central serous
choroidopathy.
