Q I am a 49-year-old man and was diagnosed with Central Serous Retinopathy (CSR). It affected my left eye and I went for laser surgery. My vision was clearer but I had constant pain if I worked on the computer or watched TV for more than half an hour. The doctor said the pain had nothing to do with the laser treatment.

One year after the laser treatment, I began to see grey spots. Now, five years later, my right eye is afflicted too. The doctor told me that the affected areas do not require further laser treatment but that he will observe the condition.

Can this cause permanent damage? Will taking Lutein pills cure my condition?

A CSR is a condition where fluid leaks from an outer layer of the eye (the choroid) into the space beneath the retina. This results in the blurring of vision.

CSR is much more common in men than women. While the cause is usually unknown, it is often believed to be stress related. Exposure to steroid medication is also linked to CSR.

For most people, CSR clears up spontaneously. Laser treatment can seal the leak and speed up the drying of the fluid. In a small number of people, CSR can recur or become chronic, with associated visual disturbance. Most of the time, these changes are mild and significant visual loss is rare.

Laser treatment does not cause recurring pain in the eyes. You may need spectacles to read or watch TV comfortably and I would assume that your doctor has checked if you require spectacles. People with CSR are often long-sighted and the need to wear spectacles for this becomes greater at your age.

It is difficult to be sure what the grey spots are. They may be areas affected by CSR or something else entirely. If your doctor says it is due to the CSR, then he is probably right.

Tests such as fundus fluorescein angiography, where a fluorescein dye is used to reveal any leakage or chronic retinal changes due to CSR, may help confirm the diagnosis. Another test, optical coherence tomography may help evaluate the presence of fluid build-up under the retina or atrophy (thinning) of the retina. If there is leakage, laser treatment may help.

It is rare for CSR to cause permanent damage but it is known to happen. Lutein or any other supplements are not known to help CSR and its safety for use in CSR is unknown. I would advise against taking it as a cure for CSR.

Prof Caroline Chee

Clinical Associate Professor Caroline Chee is a senior consultant at the department of ophthalmology at National University Hospital

This article was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times.