Long-term follow-up of severe central serous chorioretinopathy using indocyanine green angiography

Background: The severe types of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) have a chronic nature, suggesting that a pathological process persists subclinically. Indocyanine green(ICG) angiography recently revealed intrachoroidal dye leakage and its static nature in CSC. As the intrachoroidal dye leakage was suspected to be relevant to the disease process, the long-term persistence of intrachoroidal ICG leakage was examined in four patients of the severe types of CSC. Methods: ICG angiography was performed periodically over more than three years in three patients and two years in one patient. One patient had CSC with bullous retinal detachment, and the other three had chronic CSC or diffuse retinal pigment epitheliopathy. Results: Intrachoroidal ICG leakage persisted in all the patients. However, a change in location of persistent intrachoroidal leakage or disappearance of intrachoroidal leakage regardless of no progression of retinal pigment epithelial alteration was noted in one eye of two patients. Conclusions:Pathology causing intrachoroidal ICG leakage persisted subclinically for a long period. However, location and extent of the intrachoroidal leakage could change during along-term follow-up period. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.