CORRELATIONS BETWEEN CHANGES IN PHOTORECEPTOR LAYER AND OTHER CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS IN CENTRAL SEROUS CHORIORETINOPATHY

PURPOSE: To clarify the correlations between changes in the photoreceptor layer (PRL) and other clinical characteristics during central serous chorioretinopathy. METHODS: Patients with central serous chorioretinopathy with one eye affected were enrolled. Photoreceptor layer appearance within the detached area was evaluated, and its correlations with symptom duration, best-corrected visual acuity, and the difference in the foveal outer nuclear layer thickness between the affected and contralateral eyes were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 222 patients were included. The PRL outer border appeared either smooth, granulated, or as scattered dots attached to external limiting membrane. These different appearances were associated with elongation in symptom duration (18, 180, and 1,855 days), decreases in best-corrected visual acuity (6/10, 6/15, and 6/120), and increases in the difference of foveal outer nuclear layer thickness (−16, −32, and −60 μm). Among eyes with smooth PRL outer border, which had similar symptom duration, eyes with foveal PRL defect had poorer best-corrected visual acuity and greater reduction in outer nuclear layer thickness than the other eyes (all P = 0.00). CONCLUSION: Morphologic changes in PRL, best-corrected visual acuity, the reduction in foveal outer nuclear layer thickness, and symptom duration correlate closely but may behave asynchronously. These objective parameters, besides symptom duration, could be helpful when considering the timing of central serous chorioretinopathy treatment.