Minoxidil
July 2012
in “
Reactions Weekly
”
TLDR Minoxidil use was linked to a rare eye condition that improved after stopping the treatment.
In 2012, a 37-year-old man was reported to have developed central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) after using a topical 2% minoxidil solution for eight months to treat androgenetic alopecia. He experienced visual symptoms in his right eye, and upon examination, subretinal fluid and a hyperfluorescent spot in the foveal area were detected, leading to a diagnosis of CSC. After discontinuing minoxidil, his symptoms resolved within one month, and his eye condition remained stable and normal after one year of follow-up. This was the first reported case of CSC associated with the use of minoxidil, as searches in AdisBase, Medline, and Embase databases did not reveal any previous case reports, although the WHO ADR database contained three reports of chorioretinopathy associated with minoxidil.
