A Novel Panmacular Strategy for Subthreshold Micropulse Laser in CSC: Two-Year Functional and Morphological Outcomes

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Retinal Diseases
• Laser Therapy

Background:

• Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) is a common retinal disorder.
• Subthreshold micropulse laser therapy (MPLT) is an emerging treatment option for CSC.
• Evaluating a novel panmacular MPLT strategy for various CSC forms is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the long-term functional and structural outcomes of panmacular MPLT in acute (aCSC), chronic (cCSC), and recurrent (rCSC).
• To determine the efficacy of a novel panmacular MPLT strategy in CSC patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 41 CSC patients and 14 controls undergoing panmacular subthreshold MPLT.
• Measurements included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), retinal sensitivity (RetSens), central choroidal thickness (CCT), and pachyvessel diameter at baseline and 24 months post-treatment.
• Mean follow-up was 24.0 months for aCSC and 18.6 months for cCSC/rCSC.

Main Results:

• Complete subretinal fluid resolution occurred in 100% of aCSC, 86.66% of cCSC, and 63.63% of rCSC cases.
• Significant BCVA improvement was observed across all groups after two years (p = 0.005 for aCSC).
• RetSens improved in aCSC (p = 0.001) and cCSC (p = 0.046), while CCT, CRT, and pachyvessel diameter decreased significantly in all CSC groups (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Panmacular MPLT is a safe and effective treatment for CSC, yielding significant long-term functional and structural improvements.
• The therapy is particularly effective in acute and chronic CSC cases.
• Recurrent CSC demonstrated poorer outcomes, suggesting disease recurrence is a negative prognostic factor.