Peripapillary Choroidal Vascularity Outside the Macula in Patients With Central Serous Chorioretinopathy

Purpose: To investigate choroidal vascularity outside the macula in central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). Methods: Fifty normal controls and 103 patients with a history of CSC (31 with acute CSC, 32 with chronic CSC, and 40 with resolved CSC) were included. Using swept-source optical coherence tomography, we measured choroidal thickness (CT) and choroidal vascularity index (CVI) at the subfoveal and nasal peripapillary areas. Results: Subfoveal CT in the acute CSC group was greater than that in all other groups (all P < 0.05). Peripapillary CT in the acute and chronic CSC groups was significantly greater than that in controls (all P < 0.005). However, subfoveal and peripapillary CT in the resolved CSC group was not different from controls. Subfoveal CVI in the acute group (64.71% +/- 2.68%) was higher than that in controls (61.68% +/- 5.68%) (P = 0.015). Peripapillary CVIs in the acute (67.35% +/- 6.04%) and chronic groups (64.90% +/- 5.31%) were higher than controls (54.57% +/- 7.02%) (all P < 0.001). Subfoveal CVI in the resolved CSC group was not different from controls (P = 0.252), whereas peripapillary CVI (62.61% +/- 6.03%) was higher (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Unlike CT, CVI outside the macula was increased in all eyes with both current and past history of CSC. These findings suggest that the choroidal vascularity outside the macula may represent choroidal characteristics in addition to the subfoveal area. Translational Relevance: Peripapillary CVI outside the macula may provide additional information beyond what is known through subfoveal choroid studies.

Automated summary

Subfoveal choroidal thickness was greater in acute CSC group compared to other groups while peripapillary choroidal thickness was significantly higher in acute and chronic CSC groups than in controls. Choroidal vascularity index outside the macula was increased in all eyes with both current and past history of CSC, suggesting potential implications for choroidal characteristics.