Short axial length and hyperopic refractive error are risk factors of central serous chorioretinopathy

To evaluate the axial length (AL) and refractive status in central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).

This retrospective observational case series involved 140 patients with CSC (180 eyes) and 78 age-matched and gender-matched control subjects. A detailed ophthalmic examination was performed, including an interferometer measurement of AL. Multimodal imaging comprised colour fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography, fundus autofluorescence photography and spectral domain optical coherence tomography.

Eighty eyes of 40 patients were categorised into the bilateral-CSC (b-CSC) group and 100 eyes of 100 patients were categorised into the unilateral-CSC (u-CSC) group. AL of the b-CSC (23.19 mm) and u-CSC (23.75 mm) groups was significantly shorter than that of the control (24.85 mm) group (p<0.001 for both). Moreover, AL was significantly shorter in the b-CSC group than in the u-CSC group (p=0.020). Spherical equivalent (SE) in the b-CSC (0.25 D) group was significantly greater than in the u-CSC (-0.81 D) and control (-1.38 D) groups (p<0.001 for both). Gender (male; OR 4.55; 95% CI 1.13 to 18.40; p=0.033), AL (OR 0.38; 95% CI 0.23 to 0.63; p<0.001), area of choroidal vascular hyperpermeability (OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.03 to 1.13; p=0.002) and presence of descending tract (OR 7.22; 95% CI 1.86 to 28.00; p=0.004) were the variables found to be significantly associated with b-CSC via multiple regression analyses.

Anatomical features, such as shorter AL and greater SE, may be associated with the pathogenesis of CSC.