Acute central serous chorioretinopathy — an uncommon complication of imatinib mesylate (imatinib) therapy in chronic myelogenous leukaemia

Abstract

Imatinib is the most widely used drug in targeted therapy for chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML). Few ophthalmic side effects like periorbital oedema, epiphora, ptosis, extraocular muscle palsy, blepharoconjunctivitis, glaucoma, papilledema, photosensitivity, retinal haemorrhage, and increased intraocular pressure are described with imatinib therapy. A 35-year-old male, a known case of CML with no ocular complaints, on treatment with imatinib for the preceding six weeks, presented with acute central serous chorioretinopathy in the left eye. Owing to his professional requirements for early visual recovery, he was treated with subthreshold micropulse laser with complete resolution of the subretinal fluid. This case report highlights acute central serous chorioretinopathy as a potential rare complication of imatinib therapy in CML patients, which requires regular and detailed ophthalmic evaluation so as to diagnose and treat it without any residual effects.