Half-dose Photodynamic Therapy for Chronic Central Serous Chorioretinopathy

To report the outcomes of half-dose photodynamic therapy (PDT) in patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).

A chart review of patients with chronic CSC who had received half-dose verteporfin PDT (3 mg/m(2)) was performed. The main outcome measures were resolution of subretinal fluid and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA).

Fifty-three eyes of 51 patients with mean age of 45.01 ± 8.9 years were studied. Three, 6 and 12 months after half-dose PDT, subretinal fluid was completely resolved in 51 eyes (96.2%). In 2 eyes (one patient), subretinal fluid decreased at 3 months but one year later, an increase in subretinal fluid was detected on optical coherence tomography (OCT) which completely resolved following additional PDT. Another patient with recurrence of subretinal fluid rejected further treatment. Mean baseline central subfield thickness was 385 ± 113.0 μm which was decreased to 235 ± 39.7, 247 ± 49.7, and 244 ± 49.52 μm after 3, 6 and 12 months, respectively (all P-values < 0.001). Mean BCVA was 0.33 ± 0.27 LogMAR before PDT and 0.11 ± 0.18, 0.11 ± 0.17, 0.17 ± 0.26 and 0.10 ± 0.23 LogMAR, 3, 6 and 12 months and at final visit (up to 60 months) after PDT, respectively (all P-values < 0.001). Improvement ≥2 lines in BCVA occurred in 20 eyes (37.7%). Statistically significant correlations were found between improvement in BCVA and baseline BCVA, baseline central subfield thickness and central subfield thickness after resorption of subretinal fluid (P < 0.001, P= 0.04 and P= 0.01, respectively). No complications attributed to PDT were observed.

Half-dose PDT is effective for treatment of patients with chronic CSC.