Subfoveal choroidal thickness after photodynamic therapy in patients with acute idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in subfoveal choroidal thickness after photodynamic therapy in patients with acute idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy (ICSCR). Methods: This was a retrospective observational study conducted in 63 participants. The primary outcome measure was subfoveal choroidal thickness at baseline and 3 days, one week, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks after photodynamic therapy. The secondary outcome measure was indocyanine green angiography at baseline and 4 weeks and 12 weeks after photodynamic therapy. Results: Four weeks after photodynamic therapy, 20 (64.51%) symptomatic eyes showed hypofluorescence corresponding to the area of photodynamic therapy irradiation at the posterior pole. The mean subfoveal choroidal thickness increased significantly from 422 +/- 132 mu m at baseline to 478 +/- 163 mu m at day 3 after treatment (P=0.022) and then decreased to 362 +/- 113 mu m at week 4 (P<0.001) and 339 +/- 135 mu m at week 12 (P<0.001). Conclusion: The subfoveal choroid in patients with acute ICSCR is thicker than in the normal population, and in symptomatic eyes is significantly thicker than in fellow eyes. Photodynamic therapy using a one third dose of verteporfin may decrease choroidal vascular hyperpermeability and choroidal thickness in patients with acute ICSCR.