Fuchs’ Corneal Dystrophy is a condition marked by a deterioration of the cells responsible for expelling impurities and fluids from the cornea. The condition generally affects both eyes and develops gradually over time. While it is possible to develop the disease in your 30s or 40s, Fuchs’ Corneal Dystrophy is most commonly found in people in their 50s and 60s. Women are slightly more at risk for the condition than men.
If you think your vision may be deteriorating due to Fuchs’ Corneal Dystrophy, you should contact an experienced Charlotte ophthalmologist at once to treat the condition before it causes serious vision problems.
Causes of Fuchs’ Corneal Dystrophy Fuchs’ Corneal Dystrophy is caused by a gradual deterioration of the endothelial cells in your cornea. When enough of these cells are not functioning properly, your endothelium will be unable to pump water out of the stroma. As a result, your cornea will begin to swell, causing distorted vision.
As the disease progresses, you may begin to experience pain and deteriorated vision due to the increased water in your cornea. As your epithelium becomes increasingly swollen, the curvature of your cornea will be altered, causing you to experience a haze in your vision. This swelling will also lead to the development of small blisters on the surface of your cornea. As they rupture, you may experience severe pain.
Symptoms of Fuchs’ Corneal Dystrophy A primary symptom of early stage Fuchs’ Corneal Dystrophy is waking up in the morning with blurry vision that gradually clears up as the day progresses. This occurs because your cornea is thicker in the morning after retaining fluids while you sleep. As the day progresses, these fluids will evaporate, leading to clearer vision. However, as the disorder gets worse, the swelling will remain constant throughout the day, leading to consistently blurry vision that does not clear up as the day progresses.
Treatment of Fuchs’ Corneal Dystrophy The Charlotte ophthalmologists at Horizon Eye care will work to reduce the swelling caused by Fuchs’ Corneal Dystrophy using ointments, drops, or soft contact lenses. A hair dryer can also be used to help dry out epithelial blisters. You should hold the hair dryer at arm’s length, pointing it towards your face. This treatment can be performed two or three times a day; however, it is important to carefully follow your ophthalmologist’s instructions when carrying out this procedure.
Other effective treatments for severe cases of Fuchs’ Corneal Dystrophy include:
The eye doctors at Horizon Eye Care can help you relieve the pain and vision problems associated with Fuchs’ Corneal Dystrophy. Please contact our Charlotte, North Carolina ophthalmology offices today to schedule a consultation.
