Visual function abnormalities in central serous retinopathy.

Eighteen patients with central serous retinopathy (CSR) underwent a battery of visual function tests when first seen and after resolution of the subretinal fluid. Eyes with CSR had minimal relative afferent pupillary defects, reduced critical flicker-fusion thresholds, prolonged visual evoked potential (VEP) latencies, increased errors on the Farnsworth-Munsell 100-hue (FM 100) test, and depressed central visual fields (Octopus). The afferent pupillary defect and critical flicker-fusion thresholds were the first to improve after resolution of the subretinal fluid. Next in rate of improvement were the visual acuity, the VEP latency, and the FM 100 test results. The threshold of the central Octopus at fixation improved the slowest and was still abnormal during long-term follow-up, indicating a prolonged depression in the threshold of central field sensitivity after resolution of the CSR. Many of these abnormalities are also seen in patients with optic nerve disease.