Central serous chorioretinopathy - Bilateral multifocal electroretinographic abnormalities

Objectives: To assess retinal function topographically in the posterior pol e of affected and fellow eyes with central serous chorioretinopathy. Participants and Methods: Multifocal electroretinograms (MERGs) were record ed from 6 patient with active central serous chorioretinopathy and 5 normal control subjects. Two patients also had full-field conventional ERGs. The MERG responses were averaged in rings radiating out from the foveal center. Results: All of the patients had central macular detachments in the affecte d eyes, while the fellow eyes were normal except for a few small retinal pi gment epithelial abnormalities. The MERG was not only depressed in areas of detachment as expected, but was also reduced beyond the area of detachment in affected eyes and throughout the posterior pole of the fellow eyes. Ful l-field ERGs were normal. Conclusions: The MERG findings show that there is broad retinal functional disturbance in central serous chorioretinopathy involving both eyes and are as beyond the zone of detachment. These data strongly suggest that diffuse and possibly systemic pathologic conditions underlie this disease and that the leak itself may be a somewhat incidental event. The MERG may prove usef ul as a clinical marker for susceptibility to serous detachment.