Central Serous Chorioretinopathy Following Oral Use of Adulterated Honey Mixed with Tadalafil: A Case Report

Int Med Case Rep J. 2021 Nov 15:14:773-776. doi: 10.2147/IMCRJ.S341722. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Background: Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is an idiopathic condition characterized by serous retinal detachment and/or retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) detachment, the condition associated with a fluid leak through the RPE into subretinal space. This article reports on an unusual case of CSCR following taking adulterated honey mixed with tadalafil powder.

Case presentation: A 38-year-old male, not known to have any medical illnesses, came to our ophthalmology clinic complaining of sudden onset of blurred central vision in the left eye for five days after taking an adulterated honey which was claimed to improve sexual performance. On taking a history, the patient denied taking any medications or past eye trauma or surgery. On detailed ophthalmologic examination, the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/20 in the right eye and 20/80 in the left eye. Dilated fundus examination of the right eye showed a flat retina, normal macular reflex, healthy optic nerve head and the left eye showed blunt foveal reflex with neurosensory retinal detachment at the macula and subretinal fluid. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the left eye showed marked macular thickening, leading to the impression of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR). Four weeks after stopping the adulterated honey, BCVA improved to 20/20 in the left eye, with complete resolution of subretinal fluids.

Conclusion: Our case adds to recently reported cases of a link between tadalafil and CSCR.

Keywords: CSCR; adulterated honey; sildenafil; tadalafil.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

Grants and funding

There was no funding involved in this study. Each of the authors involved in this study has no financial disclosures.