Fuch’s Dystropy
Fuch’s Dystrophy is a slowly progressive disease of the cornea that can be found in both eyes and is slightly more common in women than men. While it is possible to observe Fuch’s Dystrophy in people in their 30’s and 40’s, it usually does not compromise vision until people are in their 50’s or 60’s. The innermost layer of cells in the cornea (the endothelium) are responsible for pumping water out of the cornea and helping to maintain the cornea clear. In Fuch’s Dystrophy, the endothelial cells die, which make the endothelium less efficient in its pumping activity. This results in the cornea swelling and distorting vision. In its later phases, Fuch’s Dystrophy is often associated with considerable pain as the epithelium “blisters” by forming “bullae”, which actually begin to burst open.
As the disease worsens, it can be treated with eye drops and ointments. However, when these measures fail to provide comfort and clear vision, it may be necessary to have a Corneal Transplant.
For some patients, there is a relatively new procedure, called DSAEK (Descemet’s Stripping with Endothelial Keratoplasty) that can be performed to transplant endothelial cells, which may help certain Fuch’s Dystrophy patients overcome their discomfort and vision problem.
Dr. Martinez as a Cornea Specialist, performs many of these procedures.
