Purpose: To identify the clinical parameters predictive of persistent subretinal fluid in acute central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).
Methods: Clinical data of consecutive eyes diagnosed with first-time, acute, treatment-naïve CSC followed up for at least 6 months from symptom onset were evaluated retrospectively. Acute CSC was defined as CSC in which symptoms were noticed within 3 months of presentation. Subretinal fluid, central retinal thickness (CRT), subfoveal choroidal thickness, and fundus autofluorescence (FAF) were examined.
Results: Of the 48 eyes in 48 patients, 38% exhibited subretinal fluid persisting for at least 6 months after the symptom onset. FAF alterations at baseline were observed in 52 and 36% of affected and fellow eyes, respectively. Multivariable analysis showed that persistent fluid was significantly associated with the presence of FAF alterations in fellow eyes (odds ratio = 23.5, P = 0.024), in addition to greater age (odds ratio = 1.16, P = 0.015) and thicker CRT (odds ratio = 1.01, P = 0.022).
Conclusion: Fellow eye FAF alterations, in addition to older age and thicker CRT, were significant predictors of persistent subretinal fluid in patients with acute CSC. These findings underscore CSC's bilateral aspects and noninvasive markers' role in predicting persistent subretinal fluid.