CSR (Central Serous Retinopathy) indicates an increased risk of stroke

A study of 1800 central serous retinopathy patients in Taiwan showed an increased risk of stroke in patients diagnosed with the eye disease.

Central serous retinopathy (CSR) is an eye disorder that is found most commonly in young men, 20 to 50 years of age. CSR symptoms usually include blurred vision and even blind spots. The exact cause of CSR is unknown, but the eye condition involves leakage of fluid in the central macula. Patients with central serous retinopathy generally have vision in the 20/20 to 20/100 range.

A study, using the data in Taiwan’s national health insurance research database, compared 1,814 patients with newly diagnosed cases, with 9,648 patients having no central serous retinopathy. The patients were carefully chosen to be similar in criteria like age, sex, income and geography.

The seven year study data revealed that 2.5% of patients with an existing diagnosis of CSR suffered ischemic strokes during the average follow-up period of about 6 years. The non-central serous patients experienced ischemic strokes at a 1.65% rate.

Patients with Central Serous Retinopathy suffered ischemic strokes

After the data was adjusted for age, gender and other variables, CSR patients were found to have more than one-and-a-half fold greater risk of stroke.

Further studies will hopefully educate patients as well as physicians on what signs and symptoms to be aware of as they relate to CSR.

Although CSR can be a frustrating condition, patients generally experience a recovery of vision, though it may take six months or more. Recurrence of symptoms is quite common.

Dr. Deupree has been managing and treating central serous retinopathy for more than two decades in the Tampa Bay, Florida area. He is taking new CSR patients currently.

Related story: Can your eye doctor predict a stroke?