Pigment epithelium detachment treated with sildenafil: a case report

Abstract

AbstractPurposeCentral serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is a pathology of the retina that can be complicated by the appearance of a serous detachment of the pigment epithelium (PED). The exact molecular mechanisms of CSCR have remained uncertain as well as there is no effective medical therapy. We found it interesting to describe a case of CSCR with PED treated with Sildenafil.Case Report53‐year‐old male suffering from chronic CSCR with PED probably resulting from psychological stress and type A personality presented himself for an eye examination stating that he noticed an improvement in visual acuity and metamorphopsia after a daily intake of 15 mg of sildenafil tablets. The patient underwent fluorescein angiography (FA), indocyanine angiography (ICG), Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and Optical coherence tomography (OCT). The tests showed a resolution of the serous detachment of the neuroepithelium and pigment epithelium with residual dystrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium.ConclusionsSeveral oral medications have been proposed for the treatment of CSCR based on the putative inhibition of different pathogenic pathways. Recently mineralocorticoid receptors antagonists were proposed as a treatment for CSCR patients with persistent subretinal fluid and the results seem encouraging. We believe that in our case the resolution of the clinical picture is due to the improvement of the choroidal vascular picture and in particular of the endothelial function of the choroidal vessels. Recent studies have shown that Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE‐5) inhibitors (i.e. sildenafil) have been implicated in improving endothelial function and that this would be at the basis of the vasodilation induced by these molecules.