Differential Diagnostics of Age-related Macular Degeneration and Central Serous Chorioretinopathy.

Wydanie 2/2021
str. 29 – 41

Autor: Maciej Gawęcki

Dobry Wzrok Centrum Okulistyczne w Gdańsku
Oddział Okulistyczny Szpitala Specjalistycznego im J.K. Łukowicza w Chojnicach
Kierownik: dr n med. Maciej Gawęcki

Summary: 

Age-related macular degeneration and central serous chorioretinopathy are clinical entities that have different pathogenesis, however, at some stages their clinical phenotype might present similar, inducing diagnostic dilemmas. Differential diagnosis of these diseases is important as they require variable therapeutic approach. Differentiation has to base on demographical data and multimodal imaging. Central serous chorioretinopathy usually occurs in younger patients than age-related macular degeneration, also if complicated by choroidal neovascularization. Additionally, severe visual loss is by far more often attributed to age-related macular degeneration than to central serous chorioretinopathy. Multimodal differential diagnostics should include fluorescein angiography, fundus autofluorescence, spectral domain optical coherence tomography and optical coherence tomography–angiography. The most specific features are found in long-standing forms of central serous chorioretinopathy in fundus autofluorescence and in exudative forms of age-related macular degeneration in spectral domain optical coherence tomography and angio–optical coherence tomography. Nevertheless, reliable differentiation has to include all the available results and data, not just one or two diagnostic modalities.