Central serous chorioretinopathy as a cause of vision loss in chronic relapsing inflammatory optic neuropathy

PURPOSE: Chronic relapsing inflammatory optic neuropathy (CRION) is a type of idiopathic recurrent optic neuritis that responds to systemic corticosteroids and relapses on steroid withdrawal or dose reduction. Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is often associated with glucocorticoid therapy. This paper aims to highlight CSCR as a cause of visual loss in patients being treated with corticosteroids for optic neuritis. OBSERVATIONS: We describe the case of a 42-year-old woman with a history of CRION in her left eye who presented with painful vision loss in the right eye and diffuse right optic disc edema. Steroid therapy was initiated, leading to visual and perimetric improvement. Two months later however, the patient returned with painless visual loss, now related to CSCR. Despite oral steroids being continued, there was spontaneous tomographic and visual recovery after four months. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: We believe this is the first report of CSCR causing vision loss in a patient with CRION treated with oral corticosteroids. CSCR should be suspected in patients with optic neuritis of any cause who develop vision loss while on treatment with steroids.