Fundus autofluorescence in central serous chorioretinopathy: association with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and fluorescein angiography

AIM: To evaluate the correlation among changes in fundus autofluorescence(AF) measured using infrared fundus AF(IR-AF) and short-wave length fundus AF(SW-AF) with changes in spectral-domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT) and fluorescein angiography(FA) in central serous chorioretinopathy(CSC).·METHODS: Two hundred and twenty consecutive patients with CSC were included. In addition to AF,patients were assessed by means of SD-OCT and FA.Abnormalities in images of IR-AF, SW-AF, FA were analyzed and correlated with the corresponding outer retinal alterations in SD-OCT findings.·RESULTS: Eyes with abnormalities on either IR-AF or SW-AF were found in 256 eyes(58.18%), among them256 eyes(100%) showed abnormal IR-AF, but SW-AF abnormalities were present only in 213 eyes(83.20%).The hypo-IR-AF corresponded to accumulation of sub-retinal liquid, collapse of retinal pigment epithelium(RPE) or detachment of RPE with or without RPE leakage point in the corresponding area. The hyper-IR-AF corresponded to the area with loss of the ellipsoid portion of the inner segments and sub-sensory retinal deposits or focal melanogenesis under sensory retina.The hypo-SW-AF corresponded to accumulation of subretinal liquid or atrophy of RPE. The hyper-SW-AF associated with sub-sensory retinal deposits,detachment of RPE and focal melanogenesis.·CONCLUSION: IR-AF was more sensitive than SW-AFand FA for identifying pathological abnormalities in CSC.The characteristics of IR-AF in CSC were attributable to the modification of melanin in the RPE. IR-AF should be used as a common diagnostic tool for identifying pathological lesion in CSC.