What is the treatment for corneal dystrophy?

Specific treatments for corneal dystrophies may include eye drops, ointments, lasers and corneal transplant. Recurrent corneal erosions (a common finding in most corneal dystrophies) may be treated with lubricating eye drops, ointments, antibiotics or specialized (bandage soft) contact lenses.

Can you go blind with corneal dystrophy?

While corneal dystrophy can cause vision impairment, it rarely leads to complete blindness. The cornea consists of six layers, and deterioration can start in any of them. This leads to swelling (edema) that interferes with normal vision.

What is the most common corneal dystrophy?

The most common is Fuchs’ corneal dystrophy, which usually starts when you’re in your 40s or 50s. It may take several more years, even decades before you notice vision problems. With Fuchs’, the cells that pump excess moisture out of your cornea to keep it clear start to die.

What is stromal corneal dystrophy?

Congenital stromal corneal dystrophy is an inherited eye disorder. This condition primarily affects the cornea, which is the clear outer covering of the eye. In people with this condition, the cornea appears cloudy and may have an irregular surface.

What causes corneal scarring?

The cornea is resilient and can typically heal from minor abrasions. However, major corneal damage can result in a corneal scar. These can be caused by improper use of contact lenses, deep scratches, lacerations, burns, and some diseases like shingles and syphilis.

Can dry eyes cause corneal scarring?

As a result, tear glands can become blocked, causing severe dry eye. Corneal inflammation can lead to thinning, infection, perforation, scarring, and neovascularization.

How do you test for corneal dystrophy?

The only way to know for sure if you have a corneal dystrophy is to get a comprehensive dilated eye exam. Your eye doctor will use a microscope with a bright light attached (called a slit lamp) to check your eyes for signs of corneal dystrophies.

Is corneal dystrophy unilateral?

The lattice even in unilateral cases may cause significant visual loss warranting penetrating keratoplasty. Lattice lesions may develop in the other eye many years later and this should be explained to all patients with apparent unilateral lattice corneal dystrophy.

What is bullous keratopathy of the eye?

Bullous keratopathy is an eye disorder that involves a blister-like swelling of the cornea (the clear layer in front of the iris and pupil). Symptoms include sensitivity to bright light, blurred vision, and intermittent feeling of a foreign object in the eye.

Is Fuchs dystrophy considered a disability?

In Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD), progressive corneal endothelial dysfunction and subsequent chronic edematous changes result in characteristic visual disability.

How quickly does Fuchs dystrophy progress?

It can take up to six months until full improvement in your vision is seen. DSEK and DMEK generally have short recovery times, usually only a few weeks or months and the risk of having the new corneal graft being rejected after surgery is also low.

What are the flecks in corneal dystrophy?

Fleck dystrophy is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by small, discrete white dandruff-like flecks which may be round, oval or doughnut-shaped and which appear diffusely throughout the cornea, extending axially to peripherally.

What is the difference between Fleck and Pre-descemet’s membrane dystrophy?

Using these criteria, we ruled out all but Fleck and Pre-Descemet’s corneal dystrophy in these cases. Fleck dystrophy is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by small, discrete white dandruff-like flecks which may be round, oval or doughnut-shaped and which appear diffusely throughout the cornea, extending axially to peripherally.

How does corneal stromal dystrophy affect the limbus?

Early in life these granules are separated by clear cornea. The lesions do not extend typically to the limbus. They become more numerous over time. Late in the disease the lesions may coalesce and extend deep into posterior stroma. Homozygotes for the dystrophy have a more severe course and presentation.

What can I do about my cornea dystrophies?

Most people with keratoconus can correct their vision problems by wearing glasses, soft contact lenses, or special hard contact lenses that change the shape of the cornea. Your doctor may also recommend a procedure called corneal cross-linking to strengthen your cornea.