Comparison of visual and anatomical outcomes of half-dose photodynamic therapy and 689 nm laser treatment (pseudo-PDT) in eyes with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy

Purpose : Acute central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) is a common disorder in middle-aged patients, characterized by serous retinal detachment in the macular region. We evaluated half-dose verteporfin photodynamic therapy (hd-PDT) versus 689 nm laser treatment in chronic CSC. Methods : This was a pilot study of eyes with chronic CSC. A total of 20 patients were enrolled consecutively and randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive hd-PDT (group 1) or 689 nm laser treatment delivering 95 J/cm2 by application of an intensity of 805 mW/cm2 over 118 seconds, using a spot size with a 3000 μm diameter (group 2). Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) findings were compared between groups. Results : The baseline characteristics were similar, and no significant differences between the groups were found. Both groups had significant BCVA improvements (7.3 ± 1.3 vs 7.6 ± 1.5 ETRDS letters in group 1 and 2, respectively; P = 0.64), as well as CMT reductions (-102.5 ± 13.6 vs -96.1 ± 20.5 µm in group 1 and 2, respectively; P = 0.42) at 16 weeks. Measured parameters were not significantly different between groups at any time point examined. Complete photoreceptor recovery, defined as a continuous ellipsoid zone with a discernible interdigitation zone, was observed at 16 weeks in 7 and 6 patients in group 1 and 2, respectively. Conclusions : Both hd-PDT and 689 nm laser treatment were effective in treating chronic CSC. No significant differences in visual or anatomical outcomes were observed. Additional larger studies are warranted to corroborate our results.