Seasonal variation in the incidence of central serous chorioretinopathy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) is a chorioretinal disease characterised by serous subretinal fluid (SRF) in the macula, resulting in sudden central vision loss. It predominantly affects working-age adults, particularly men aged 30 to 60 years. Its multifactorial pathophysiology is modulated by systemic factors, such as corticosteroid use, psychological stress, and hypertension. Previous studies suggest that broader environmental influences, including seasonal variation, may contribute to disease onset. This study aimed to systematically review and analyse the evidence on seasonal variation in CSC incidence. A systematic search was conducted across 10 databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central, Web of Science Core Collection, Current Contents Connect, Data Citation Index, Derwent Innovations Index, KCI-Korean Journal Database, ProQuest™ Dissertations and Theses Citation Index, and SciELO Citation Index) on 22 June 2025. Eligible studies included observational designs reporting CSC incidence or frequency across seasons; case reports and reviews were excluded. Five studies, with 907 participants in total, met the inclusion criteria. Three studies with sufficient data were included in quantitative meta-analysis, while the remaining two conference abstracts were included in the qualitative synthesis. Seasonal variation in CSC incidence was reported across studies. Meta-analysis using summer as the reference season showed a significantly increased incidence of CSC in spring (OR 1.42; 95% CI: 1.18-1.73; p = 0.0003) and autumn (OR 1.23; 95% CI: 1.02-1.48; p = 0.03). No significant difference was found for winter (OR 0.97; 95% CI: 0.80-1.19; p = 0.80). The remaining 2 studies not included in the meta-analysis also reported seasonal trends consistent with these findings. The findings indicate a significant seasonal variation in CSC incidence, with a consistently increased risk during spring and autumn compared with summer. Further research is needed to examine how seasonal environmental and physiological mechanisms may contribute to CSC development.