Prevalence of central serous chorioretinopathy in Denmark

Abstract

Purpose: Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) is a prevalent maculopathy, but epidemiological studies are few. In this study, we determined the prevalence of CSC for the first time in a Scandinavian population. Methods: This cross-sectional study was based on nationwide opportunistic retinal examination from 79 high street chain optician stores in Denmark. Retinal imaging was made using non-mydriatic colour fundus photography. Any abnormal result in the optometrist-facilitated retinal examination was referred to tele-ophthalmologic evaluation, which was performed by experienced consultant ophthalmologists who diagnosed CSC. Results: During the 4-year study period, a total of 968 610 unique individuals underwent retinal examination, which corresponded to 16.3% of the entire population of Denmark. Of these, 113 individuals were diagnosed with CSC, which corresponded to a prevalence of 14 per 100 000. Individuals with CSC presented at a mean age of 48.2 ± 12.3 years; however, CSC was present in a large age range as both teenagers and the elderly with CSC were identified. Male biological sex was a statistically significant risk factor (odds ratio: 2.33; 95% confidence interval: 1.64–3.33, p < 0.0001). By extrapolating prevalence numbers to population statistics, we estimate that 219 females and 511 males had CSC in Denmark in December 2022. Conclusion: We identified a prevalence of 14 per 100 000, confirmed male biological sex as a significant risk factor for CSC, and found that the disease most commonly occurs among individuals aged 30–60 years. Further studies with multimodal imaging including optical coherence tomography are warranted for better accuracy.