VENOUS OVERLOAD CHOROIDOPATHY ASSOCIATED WITH IDIOPATHIC INTRACRANIAL HYPERTENSION.

PURPOSE: To report a case of venous overload choroidopathy associated with idiopathic intracranial hypertension in a 41-year-old man.

METHODS: History and clinical examination, fluorescein angiography, ultra-widefield indocyanine green angiography, swept-source optical coherence tomography, and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.

RESULTS: The patient was diagnosed as having idiopathic intracranial hypertension 2 years ago, was being managed on oral acetazolamide, and retained 20/20 visual acuity in both eyes until now when he presented with a complaint of visual loss in the right eye. Ophthalmoscopy revealed serous detachment in the fovea of the right eye. Swept-source optical coherence tomography showed the presence of subretinal fluid and detachments of the retinal pigment epithelium in both eyes. Fundus fluorescein angiography showed multiple dot leaks at the level of the retinal pigment epithelium in both eyes. Indocyanine green angiography revealed vortex vein anastomoses and choroidal vascular hyperpermeability in both eyes. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging revealed dilated optic nerve sheath diameter and a partial empty sella and magnetic resonance venography showed bilateral stenosis of the transverse sinus.

CONCLUSION: Transverse sinus stenosis is a common finding in "idiopathic" intracranial hypertension and contributes to the intracranial pressure through intracranial venous hypertension. Increased venous back pressure seemed to have overloaded the choroid resulting in choroidal vascular congestion and hyperpermeability, leaks from the level of the retinal pigment epithelium, and accumulation of subretinal fluid.