Central Serous Retinopathy (CSR) and Sinus

[natarsx]

I am a 37 year old male.  I was diagonized for CSR on my right eye about a year and half ago.  I dont have CSR now - seems fully cured.  I no longer see the oval grey spot from my right eye.  However about the same time around one and half years now I am having sneezing and Sinus related issues.  I visited a lot of ENT specialists and nothing seems to work.  The days I have more runny nose and sneezing, I am having slight head aches and a very slight pain on my right eye.  I am not sure if both are connected.  Can anyone suggest any remedy for my problem.

P.S - I live in Dubai and the dust pollution here is very high.  I tried allergy medication as well, but is only for temprory use.

Thank you for your help.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

central serous retinopathy is not related to or caused by sinus problems.

JCH MD

[natarsx]

Dear John,

Thanks for your response.  Highly appreciated.  Is the vice versa true - I mean can CSR cause Sinus.  Or is that the reason for both CSR and Sinus could be the same.

I am really sufferring from continuous sneezing and runny nose and all medication I have taken till date is only giving me temrprory relief.  I try to understand the reason for this so that I can take proper corrective action.

Once again appreciate your help in this.

Thanks
Nataraj.

[SLoveall]

I am having the SAME symptoms!  Female, aged 60.  Central Serous Retinopathy:  blurred vision in the same eye, pressure, dull ache in eye.  L sinuses all around the eye are full.  slight headache, terrible drainage from the L nostril only.  L side of throat is sore from all the drainage.  WHAT in the world?!?  R side is perfectly clear!  

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

CSR is not caused by sinus problems.   Sinus problems are common and many people that have eye problems like CSR, glaucoma, macular degeneration also have sinus problem just like some have back problems. It does not mean that sinus or back problems are causative.  We do know some of the things associated with CSR. You will need to read about them.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

No each is a separate problem neither causes the other.

JCH MD

[hoop44]

CSR = DUE TO STRESS.  The text book symptoms are a healthy young stressful males with a sudden unilateral loss of vision.  

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

The idea of stress causing CSR is outmoded and the ophthalmology profession and clinical research has moved away from stress as a cause.

JCH MD

[VVReddy]

Dear John,
I'm diagnosed with CSR (in early stages). I work in Nuclear Industry in round the clock shifts. Can you please suggest what could be the causes in developing CSR disorder and and how to overcome it.

With regards

Reddy V V

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

CSR is of unknown cause. The last case in my office was a secretary and the one before that a lawyer. It is certainly not your hours or your industry.

In CSR for reasons that are unknow small defects develop in one of the layers of the retina allowing fluid to leak from the wet choroid layer to under the dry retina layer creating a small blister like area that is seen as a spot.

With or without treatment is ususually goes away and often leave the vision normal but it can leave some blurring. It can reoccur.

JCH MD

[VVReddy]

Thanks for your information on CSR. I would like to know further that whether is there any medicine or treatment other than laser which will bring down the blurrness?? How can one control further aggravation? Are there any techniques/ practices which will reduce the blurrness??
In Yoga, there are certain eye related exercises, like thrataka..do they help alleviate the problem or aggravate under these circumstances??

regards

Reddy V V

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Yoga won't help. Generally CSR is NOT associated with neovascular membranes so VEGF inhibitors aren't needed. Steroids in its multiple forms have been used for many years but there is no controled study showing it will help.

No you will not aggravate it by using it or exercise or dealing with the stresses of life.

JCH MD

[Veena301]

I am 8 months 31 year old woman diagnised with CSR for the last 2 months. Today i feel its getting worse. What are the things that i should take care of so as to prevent any worse situation since i am pregnant. I am very much worried as the doc cannot do any treatment on me until deliver my baby in January.
Pls suggest me something. Does avoiding computer work will prevent worse situation. I have a 40 hrs a week computer related job.

Veena

[rajivapatel]

I m 26 year man. I dignosed with CSR before 10 months then i go for angiography and CSR detected in my left eye.  Doctor given me steroids for tretment. After compliting Steroids tretment there was no Problem with CSR to me but before 6 months it was recurrance in the same eye and this time it is worth condition of my eye.  I m not able to read even larg fonts also.  Please suggest me best tretment for CSR-recurrance.

Thanks: Rajiv

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Use the search feature and archives to read about CSR, also read the section on emedicine. Reoccurences are common, treatment is generally waiting, steroids, argon laser/visudyne or trial of VEGF inhibitors. Important to be sure no choroidal neovascularization has developed.

JCH MD

[EagleGirl]

I'm at my wits end with worry about my husband.  He has been dealing with what has been diagnosed as CSR for over 6 years.  He is 56 years old and has had several bouts of CSR.  Recently he has developed an occurrence so severe that he has taken to wearing an eye patch because the distortion in his vision is making it so difficult to function because it is in his dominant eye.  He has now been diagnosed with macular degeneration in the other eye which is not yet affecting his vision in that eye.  He is seeing a prominent retina specialist in the Houston Medical center but this guy says there is nothing that can be done for either condition.  I have read about medication for macular degeneration that has some success and wonder if he should be taking this medication.  I also worry that he has been misdiagnosed with CSR because of him being 50 when he had his first bout.  My husband is feeling like this recent CSR is going to be permanent for some reason.  Does this happen?  I am feeling like we should at least cover our bases and get a second opinion but don't know who to go to.  Do you have any advice?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Yes, there are multiple things that can be done to slow down "dry" age related macular degeneration (ARMD).  They have all been covered here in this forum and you should be able to pull up with search feature on this page and archives.

Most important is take a multivitamin daily and either two Preservision AREDS formula and one 20 mgm lutein/day  or one vitamin and two Preservision with lutein/day. BE SURE YOU HUSBAND DOES NOT SMOKE.

My recommendation would be to get an independent retinal evaluation from a different retina group. (Texas Retina Associates is well thought of).

JCH MD

[EagleGirl]

He has the wet type.  He has never smoked.  My questions were mostly related to the CSR though.  Do you have any ideas on those questions?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

No I don't. We do not know why "holes" develop in the retinal pigmented epethelium causing fluid or abnormal blood vessels to develop.

You can go to www.emedicine.com and read the entry if you want all the physician level information.

JCH MD

[dukey]

I would recommend Dr Mike Lambert in Houston. He is very highly regarded and I have seen him myself. He is EXTREMELY expensive though so make sure you have good insurance before going there. I can give you contact details if you like.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[EagleGirl]

Thanks.  I guess I'm still trying to figure out whether to get another opinion or not.  Husband has an appointment next week with his retina specialist, Dr Charles Garcia.  We are going to ask him about possible medication for the macular degeneration.  I would also like to see if he will say something to my husband to give him some hope that the current flare up of the CSR will get better.  I do believe he is a good doctor, I'm just frustrated about the whole thing which is nothing compared to what my husband has been going thru.  He is lucky that the macular degeneration in the left eye is not affecting his vision right now.  What I also don't know is how this condition progresses.  If he has it in that eye and it is not in his central vision, will it progress to the point where it is affecting his vision?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[savi_rose04]

Dear JCH,
           I am 22 year old female. I was diagonised with CSR on my right eye 2 days back. I am really worried about it as no medicine is suggested for it. I Just completed my software engineering and going to join work in a month or two. My work will be completely before system and i find tough to sit before system for many hours.My consultant told it will be vanished in a month or two. But after reading to reviews i dont feel so. Can i be able to work well in system all day soon???
        

[bhavnasharma]

Dear JCH ,
my husband who is 35 yrs old has been diagnosed CSR in his right eye & internal swelling in the left eye. Being a software proffssional he has to work overnights & has a very hectic schedule. he has to continuously work on the computer for 14-15 hrs. what all precautions should we take kindly help.
regards
bhavna sharma

[Lucky84]

I am a 25 year old male who was diagnosed of CSR in the right eye 10 days ago. But doctors said i had this problem for quite some time after the angiogram was done. I had blurred and oval vision. Doctors laser treatment is the only solution and fixed the date for jan092010. I wanted to make sure it doesn't recur so i tried homeopathic medicine from the past 1 week and my vision has improved. I have been advised to stop taking processed foods,coffee,tea,pickleand fried foods. I started drinking milk, started eating fruits and vegetables along with codliver oil tablets. I request people suffering from CSR to try homeopathic medicine as they don't have steroids or any side effects and also they are cheap compared to any other form of medicine.

[sit111]

I am a 36year old male who is diagnosed recently of CSR in the right eye. You are referring to homeopathic medicine, kindly mention the homeo medicines you are treated with. Also, please suggest homeo doctor you visited (city, etc).
Thanks in advance