Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy is a disease of the inner layer of the cornea. The cornea is the clear, round structure on the front of the eye. Its purpose is to focus light as it enters the eye. When you have Fuchs endothelial dystrophy the cornea can become swollen and cloudy, causing there to be a change in the way the cornea focus light as well as how much light it allows through it. The inner layer of the cornea is made up of fluid pumps that help to regulate the thickness of the cornea. In Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy, there is a decrease in the overall number of these fluid pump cells and in turn a decrease in their ability to regulate the thickness of the cornea resulting in swelling.
What are the symptoms?
Usually, the first symptom of Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy is glare. This can cause halos around lights or difficulty with lights at night (such as headlights) or difficulty with bright lights (like direct sunlight). As the disease worsens blurry vision may become more of a problem. This is especially noticed in the morning and typically will improve somewhat if not completely as the day progresses. This is due to an increase in swelling in the cornea while you are asleep. Eventually, in advanced disease, there can be a chronic blurring of the vision that does not improve throughout the day.
Who is at risk?
Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy is much more common in females. It is also more common in people over the age of 50. Lastly, if you have a family history of Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy, you may be at a higher risk of developing the disease.
What are the treatments?
Treating early Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy usually consists of eyedrops or ointments that are designed to draw the fluid out of the cornea. These are more effective in the early morning in the case of drops and when used at night in the case of ointments. As the disease progresses and there is a decrease in vision, there are a number of surgical options that are various styles of cornea transplants that may be effective.