Abstract: Objective To investigate the clinical features of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) secondary to systemic corticosteroids. Design Retrospective comparative case series. Participants 35 consecutive CSCR patients (50 eyes) induced by corticosteroid who consulted at the ophthalmic clinic of Beijing Tongren Hospital from October 2012 to October 2018, and 61 consecutive CSCR patients (67 eyes) without a history of systemic corticosteroid. Methods The clinical data including medical history, visual acuity, color fundus photos, fundus fluorescence angiography (FFA) of the secondary CSCR group and control group were collected continuously, the clinical features of the two groups were analyzed and compared retrospectively. Main Outcome Measures Clinical features, ocular fundus and FFA changes. Results In 35 patients (50 eyes) with secondary CSCR, 15 cases onset in both eyes (42.9%), 20 cases in one eye (57.1%); subretinal yellowish fibrinous deposits were found in 15 eyes (30%); inferior retinal detachment in 8 eyes (15.7%); diffuse atrophic retinal pigment epithelium alterations (DARA) in 16 eyes (31.4%); one fluorescein leakage site in 21 eyes (42.0%) during FFA, more than 1 leakage site in and/or diffuse fluorescein leakage in 29 eyes (58.0%). In the control group of 61 cases (67 eyes), 6 cases (9.8%) onset in both eyes, 55 case (90.2%) in one eye; subretinal yellowish fibrinous deposits were found in 9 eyes (13.4%); exudative retinal detachment in no eyes; DARA in 2 eyes (3%); one fluorescein leakage site in 59 eyes (88.1%), more than one leakage site or diffuse fluorescein leakage in 8 eyes (11.9%).  There were significant statistic differences between the two groups (all P=0.000). Conclusion Compared with idiopathic CSCR, CSCR secondary to systemic corticosteroid was more apt to involve both eyes, and have more severe retinal pigment epithelium damage.

Key words: central serous chorioretinopathy, corticosteroids, fluorescein fundus angiography