Fuchs’ dystrophy

Index

1. What is Fuchs’ dystrophy?
2. Prognosis of the disease
3. Symptoms of Fuchs’ dystrophy
4. Medical tests for Fuchs’ dystrophy
5. What are the causes of Fuchs’ dystrophy?
6. Can it be prevented?
7. Treatments for Fuchs’ dystrophy
8. What specialist treats it?

What is Fuchs’ dystrophy?

Fuchs’ dystrophy is a type of corneal dystrophy characterized by a reduction in the number of cells that form the inner layer of the cornea, called endothelial cells. Their function is to maintain the correct transparency of the cornea and to process the water that forms the structure of the cornea. Therefore, when these cells are reduced, the water is not processed properly and, as fluid accumulates, the corneal tissue thickens and causes the cornea to lose its crystalline transparency.

Fuchs’ dystrophy usually develops in two stages:

1. First stage: the dystrophy may produce no symptoms, or only mild symptoms. Cornea guttata is the initial alteration of Fuchs’ dystrophy.
2. Second stage: once the disease has progressed patients may experience pain and sensitivity to light, and scars gradually form in the center of the cornea.

It tends to affect both eyes and usually appears at 30-40 years of age. However, in many cases there are no symptoms until the age of 50 or 60.

Guttate cornea is the initial alteration of Fuchs disease.
of Fuchs’ dystrophy

Prognosis of the disease

Fuchs’ dystrophy worsens over time and if a corneal transplant is not performed, a person with severe Fuchs’ dystrophy may go blind or suffer severe pain and very reduced vision. In the case of mild Fuchs’ dystrophy, it often worsens after cataract surgery.

Symptoms of Fuchs’ dystrophy

Typical symptoms are:

• Eye pain.
• Eyes sensitive to light and glare.
• Blurred or hazy vision, at first only in the morning.
• Seeing colored halos around lights.
• Vision that worsens throughout the day.
• Glare.

Other problems may occur, such as scarring of the cornea.

Medical tests for Fuchs’ dystrophy

Fuchs’ dystrophy may be diagnosed during a slit lamp examination. However, the following tests may also be performed:

• Pachymetry: measures the thickness of the cornea.
• Specular microscopic examination: observation of the thin layer of cells lining the back of the cornea.
• Visual acuity test.

What are the causes of Fuchs’ dystrophy?

The causes of Fuchs’ dystrophy may be:

• Hereditary: it can be passed down through families. However, the condition can also occur in people with no known family history of the disease.
• Sex: This ocular dystrophy is more common in women than in men.
• Age: Vision problems do not appear before the age of 50 in most cases. However, a health care specialist may be able to see signs of the disease in affected people in their 30s and 40s.

Can it be prevented?

So far there is no known way of prevention. Corneal transplantation can be delayed by avoiding cataract surgery or by taking special precautions during cataract surgery.

Treatments for Fuchs’ dystrophy

When Fuchs’ dystrophy is at an early stage, a sodium chloride eye drop medication is used to attenuate the swelling of the corneal cells. The use of therapeutic contact lenses is also recommended, since it avoids the pain caused by tissue erosion.

If scarring of the cornea should occur, a corneal transplant is necessary, in which the affected cornea is replaced by a healthy endothelium from a donor.

Which specialist treats it?

The ophthalmologist is in charge of preventing, diagnosing and treating diseases that affect the eyes and the patient’s visual capacity, as in the case of Fuchs’ dystrophy.

The eyes are the essential organ of vision and are susceptible to many abnormalities throughout life. Ophthalmology is in charge of preserving the patient’s visual capacity, through medical treatment techniques, surgery or with the help of external elements such as glasses or contact lenses.