Central Chorioretinopathy Associated with Topical Use of Minoxidil 2% for Treatment of Baldness

In 2012, a case study reported a 37-year-old man developing central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), a condition causing distorted vision due to fluid build-up under the retina, after using a 2% minoxidil solution for 8 months to treat androgenetic alopecia. His symptoms resolved a month after stopping the treatment. This was the first case linking CSC to minoxidil use. The study proposed that minoxidil might cause CSC through choroidal vasodilation from increased sympathetic nerve activity, potential toxicity to retinal pigment epithelium cells, and increased vascular permeability due to vascular endothelial growth factor. However, these mechanisms were not definitively proven, and further research was suggested.