PURPOSE: To report abnormalities of fundus autofluorescence associated with acute and chronic central serous retinopathy (CSR).

DESIGN: A prospective cohort study of patients with CSR was undertaken in which the intensity and spatial distribution of fundus autofluorescence were documented.

METHODS: Fundus autofluorescence was recorded using a confocal laser scanning ophthalmoscope (cLSO) and the images compared with the fundus appearance and fluorescein angiograms in 69 eyes of 63 subjects with either acute or chronic CSR. Areas of increased and decreased autofluorescence were compared with ophthalmoscopic and fluorescein angiography abnormalities. Thirty patients with focal leakage on angiography and serous retinal detachment or pigment epithelial detachment were designated as having acute CSR. Thirty-three patients with diffuse leakage on fluorescein angiography, but without manifest detachment were classified as having chronic CSR.

RESULTS: The mean age was 39 years (range 29–56 years) 14 were female and 49 male. Acute CSR of more than 4 months duration showed a mild diffuse increase in autofluorescence that corresponded with the detached area. The leaking point on the angiogram corresponded to a focal area of intense autofluorescence. In chronic CSR the autofluorescence was very irregular, there being regions with greater and less than the background levels of fluorescence.

CONCLUSION: In acute CSR, increased autofluorescence may occur at the site of leakage and in the area of retinal detachment probably indicating an increased metabolic activity of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Decreased or absent autofluorescence in long-standing lesions may indicate reduced metabolic activity of the RPE due to photoreceptor cell loss. Documenting photoreceptor cell loss with autofluorescence imaging may be useful in identifying patients who would not benefit from laser photocoagulation.