CENTRAL SEROUS CHORIORETINOPATHY MIMICKING IDIOPATHIC UVEAL EFFUSION SYNDROME.

Purpose: To describe central serous chorioretinopathy cases presenting as uveal effusion syndrome, providing new insights into "pachychoroid spectrum" diseases.

Methods: Clinical charts, color fundus photographs, fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography, optical coherence tomography, ultrasound imaging, cerebral magnetic resonance imaging, and biometry of four eyes of three patients were assessed. A literature review was conducted.

Results: The three patients had peripheral choroidal detachment and inferior bullous retinal detachment associated with central serous chorioretinopathy features detected using multimodal imaging, including fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography. The choroid was thick in the three patients, and uveal effusion occurred after steroid treatment in all cases. Subretinal fluid drainage and deep sclerectomy with flaps of 4 × 4 mm in both inferior quadrants were performed in three eyes of two patients with good outcomes. One patient was treated with photodynamic therapy. All three patients developed a typical leopard-spot pigmentary pattern in the fundus.

Conclusion: A severe presentation of highly exudative central serous chorioretinopathy may occur in rare cases with a peripheral choroidal detachment mimicking uveal effusion syndrome. These severe cases highlighted the role of choroidal thickening and hyperpermeability, choroidal vein dilation, and possible scleral thickening in both entities.