Eye Diseases - Central Serous Retinopathy

Overview

CSR is a poorly understood but very common condition affecting adult healthy males. It can uncommonly affect females. It presents with blurring of vision in one eye often accompanied by a grey or brown central area of dim vision, distortion of vision, and the awareness of things looking smaller with the affected eye than with the normal eye. It is painless. It is often associated with periods of stress in an individual's life and can be recurrent in future times of stress. It is also associated with use of steroid medications in rare cases, and can also be associated with a rare heart condition known as primary pulmonary hypertension.

Elevation of the macula caused by an accumulation of clear fluid

CSR is a blister of fluid formed under the retina by a "leak" in the retinal pigment epithelium. The cause of the leak remains somewhat enigmatic. In a healthy eye the retina is smooth and flat like Gladwrap, but in CSR it resembles the blister of "bubblewrap", although usually only one blister is present.

Fortunately, the majority of cases resolve spontaneously within 1-2 months of onset and no permanent effect on vision is reported. Uncommonly recurrences can occur such that permanent scarring of the retina and impaired vision result. The condition can appear in both eyes on occasion although not usually simultaneously.

Some cases of CSR can be treated with laser. The suitability of an eye for laser can only be determined by your eye doctor following testing with fluorescein angiography. Laser works by cauterising the "leak" and allowing the fluid to be absorbed into the body. However, laser still takes a minimum of 6 weeks to be effective and does not prevent any future recurrences. Laser treatment can be complicated by inadvertent retinal damage if the eye moves suddenly during treatment. Also there is a rare incidence of the growth of new blood vessels under the retina following laser. This could cause further change in vision. Ask your doctor about complications of laser treatment.