Transpupillary thermotherapy for chronic central serous chorioretinopathy.

PURPOSE: To determine whether transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) causes resolution of neurosensory detachment associated with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR).

METHODS: The study was a prospective interventional pilot study. All patients underwent Snellen visual acuity measurement (converted to LogMAR for analysis), slitlamp biomicroscopy, fundus examination, colour fundus photography, fluorescein and indocyanine green (ICG) angiography and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Follow-up was scheduled at 1, 2 and 3 months. Success was defined as resolution of neurosensory detachment on OCT at 3 months, and failure as persistence of the same. The primary outcome measure was resolution of OCT-measured neurosensory detachment and secondary outcome measure was change in visual acuity at the end of 3 months.

RESULTS: Fourteen eyes of 13 patients were included in the study. Twelve patients were male. The left eye was affected in seven of 14 eyes. The patients' mean age was 42.7+/-4.5 years (range 38-54 years). TTT parameters were as follows: power 156+/-47.8 mW; spot size 2.2+/-1.1 mm; duration 39.6+/-7.5 s. Following treatment, complete resolution of neurosensory detachment on OCT was seen in nine eyes (64.3%) at month 1 (P=0.004) and 11 eyes (78.6%) at months 2 and 3 (P=0.001). Three eyes (21.4%) had persistent subretinal fluid at month 3. Eight eyes (52.7%) had >or=3 lines of improvement (two eyes: five lines and six eyes three lines) at the final visit.

CONCLUSION: Transpupillary thermotherapy could be a therapeutic option in patients with chronic CSCR.