St. Louis, MO — April 1, 2025 —Researchers from WashU Medicine John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences have identified the most effective treatments for chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR), a condition that can cause blurry vision and vision loss. The study, led by Henok Getahun and Dr. Rajendra Apte, reviewed the latest research to determine which treatments provide the best outcomes for patients.
Chronic central serous chorioretinopathy is a disease characterized by subretinal fluid and losses in vision. In this comprehensive review, the evidence regarding several proposed treatments is summarized and synthesized into recommendations.
-Henok Getahun, Medical Student
CSCR occurs when fluid builds up under the retina, leading to distorted vision. While several treatment options exist, there has been ongoing uncertainty about which ones work best. The WashU team analyzed data from 10 major reviews, including 58 clinical studies, to compare the effectiveness of different treatments.
Their findings showed that half-dose or half-fluence photodynamic therapy is the most effective treatment for improving vision and reducing fluid buildup. When photodynamic therapy is unavailable, conventional laser therapy can be a good alternative, especially for patients whose fluid leakage is not too close to the central vision area. A newer approach, subthreshold micropulse laser, is less effective but may still be useful when other options are not accessible.
The study also found that some treatments, including anti-VEGF injections (commonly used for other retinal diseases) and mineralocorticoid receptor blockers, do not effectively treat CSCR.
The findings provide important guidance for eye care professionals and could help more patients receive the best possible care for CSCR.
Henok Getahun is a medical student in Dr. Rajendra Apte’s Lab at WashU Medicine.
About WashU Medicine
WashU Medicine is a global leader in academic medicine, including biomedical research, patient care and educational programs with 2,900 faculty. Its National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding portfolio is the second largest among U.S. medical schools and has grown 56% in the last seven years. Together with institutional investment, WashU Medicine commits well over $1 billion annually to basic and clinical research innovation and training. Its faculty practice is consistently within the top five in the country, with more than 1,900 faculty physicians practicing at 130 locations and who are also the medical staffs of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals of BJC HealthCare. WashU Medicine has a storied history in MD/PhD training, recently dedicated $100 million to scholarships and curriculum renewal for its medical students, and is home to top-notch training programs in every medical subspecialty as well as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and audiology and communications sciences.