Supplementary Material for: Short-term topical minoxidil use associated with acute central serous chorioretinopathy: A case report

Introduction: Minoxidil is a topical, over-the-counter, FDA-approved drug used to treat male and female pattern hair loss. Three case reports were published associating long term use of topical minoxidil to CSCR after four, six and eight months of use. In this report, we will present a case of CSCR after one week of topical minoxidil use that resolved with discontinuation of medication and observation six weeks later.
Case presentation: A 34-year-old Hispanic male presented with a two-week history of central visual loss and flashes in the left eye. His only medication use was 5% topical minoxidil foam for hair loss he started one week prior to symptom onset. Ophthalmic exam revealed a round elevation of parafoveal region of the left macula with OCT evidence of subretinal fluid and an inferior PED consistent with CSCR. Given recent initiation of topical minoxidil, we suspected that minoxidil may be inducing CSCR. Topical minoxidil was discontinued with recommended observation. There was complete resolution of CSCR at six week follow up.
Conclusion: Subacute, unilateral central visual loss in an otherwise healthy 34-year-old male was found to be caused by minoxidil-induced CSCR. The correlation of topical minoxidil use one week prior to symptom onset with resolution of findings six weeks after discontinuing the medication suggests CSCR as a side effect of topical minoxidil. This case report suggests that short-term use of topical minoxidil, as short as one week, can induce CSCR. Our case shows that minoxidil-induced CSCR can be managed with medication discontinuation and observation.