Fuchs’ Dystrophy

Fuchs' dystrophy is a slowly progressing corneal disease that usually affects both eyes and is slightly more common in women than in men. Although doctors can often see early signs of Fuchs' dystrophy in people in their 30s and 40s, the disease rarely affects vision until people reach their 50s and 60s. The cause of Fuchs' dystrophy is unknown, although it is apparently an inherited disorder.

Symptoms of Fuchs’ dystrophy include foggy or blurred vision upon waking, distorted vision, eye pain from tiny blisters on the surface of the cornea, sensitivity to light, seeing halos around lights, difficulty seeing at night, and even blindness.

If you're diagnosed with Fuchs’ dystrophy, then you can either treat the symptoms or cure the disease. The most common way to cure this rare disease is with a corneal transplant. The good news is that we do not have to perform a full-thinkness cornea transplant. We can just replace the damaged portion of the cornea, resulting in a faster recovery time, no stitches, and a reduced chance for tissue rejection. This is called DSEK or Descemet’s Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty. Your ophthalmologist can explain treatment options more thoroughly with you.

DSEK- Descemet’s Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty

Some diseases such as Fuchs’ Dystrophy can damage the cells on the critical inner portion of the cornea and cause it to become cloudy. To correct this condition, there’s an innovative procedure called DSEK. Eye Excellence is one of the few practices in the United States that offers it.

DSEK is a wonderful and convenient alternative to a full-thickness corneal transplant. This procedure replaces only the damaged cell layer instead of the entire cornea. Only a few stitches are required and the recuperation period is significantly shorter than a full corneal transplant.