Central serous retinopathy is a medical condition that occurs when fluid builds up behind the retina in your eye. The fluid can cause your retina to detach, leading to vision problems or vision loss. Your retina is a layer of tissue behind each eye. It senses light and translates it into images your brain can understand. The condition is also called central serous chorioretinopathy.
Central serous retinopathy can affect one eye or both at the same time. Symptoms might include:
Men in their 30s to 50s are more likely to develop central serous chorioretinopathy than women. Stress is a major risk factor. People under a lot of stress may be more likely to develop central serous chorioretinopathy.
Other risk factors for central serous chorioretinopathy are:
Your doctor will conduct a complete dilated eye examination in both eyes, and will
obtain imaging of the retina.
Retinal photographs may be taken to document the appearance of disease.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a retinal scan that is very helpful in
diagnosing CSC; it enables your doctor to see the retina at the microscopic level.
This makes it possible to identify very small pockets of fluid or retinal scarring
(once the fluid has subsided) in acute or chronic CSC .
Fluorescein angiography is a test in which a dye is injected into a patient’s arm
vein and pictures are taken of each eye to detect characteristic leakage of the dye
beneath the patient’s retina. This test, along with OCT, allows your doctor to make
the diagnosis of CSC and to distinguish it from other retinal diseases causing fluid
in the macula.
Many cases of central serous retinopathy go away on their own over a few
weeks or months. So your healthcare provider may recommend monitoring, or “watch and
wait.” During the monitoring period, they’ll repeat tests to ensure the fluid is
draining.
Your healthcare provider also may ask you to stop taking medications that contribute
to the eye condition. They’ll also counsel you to reduce stress.
If the fluid doesn’t drain on its own in a few months, your healthcare provider may
recommend central serous retinopathy treatment:
It may not be possible to prevent central serous retinopathy. But you can reduce
your risk by managing stress and limiting the use of corticosteroids.
What can I expect if I have central serous retinopathy?
Many cases of central serous retinopathy go away on their own as fluid naturally
drains. But treatment may be necessary if the condition continues for several
months.
After the condition resolves, vision generally improves on its own, often returning
to normal. But sometimes damage can be permanent, with vision changes that don’t
improve.
The condition can happen again, even after successful treatment, in the same eye or
your other eye. For this reason, you may need regular follow-up appointments with an
ophthalmologist.
