Endothelial dystrophy of a cornea (Fuchs's dystrophy)

Description:

Endothelial dystrophy of a cornea (Fuchs's dystrophy) is a hereditary disease which affects the most inside layer of a cornea - an endothelium.

Reasons of endothelial dystrophy of a cornea (Fuchs's dystrophy):

The endothelium works in a cornea as the pump, constantly pumping out liquid which gets under the influence of normal intraocular pressure there from thickness of a cornea. Excess liquid in a cornea reduces its transparency up to a state when the cornea becomes similar to opaque glass. Patients gradually lose endothelial cells in process of progressing of dystrophy. The matter is that endothelial cells do not share, and their quantity constantly decreases. The remained cells occupy the released space a big rasplastyvaniye. For the time being the state is compensated by the strengthened work of the remained cells. But over time the pumping system becomes less effective, causing cornea hypostasis, its opacification and, finally, decrease in sight.

At early stages of a disease patients note zasveta and the increased intolerance of light. Gradually sight can worsen in the morning, how many and being recovered by the evening. This results from the fact that during a night dream there is no evaporation of moisture from a cornea surface, and moisture collects in a cornea. At open centuries also this mechanism of removal of liquid from a cornea turns on in the afternoon, and the balance is displaced closer to a normality. It is clear, that in process of death of new endothelial cells sight constantly remains reduced.

Endothelial dystrophy of Fuchs affects both eyes and meets among women a little more often. Usually it is shown in 30-40 years and gradually progresses. If sight worsens so that the patient loses ability independently to service itself, there are indications for a keratoplasty.

Symptoms of endothelial dystrophy of a cornea (Fuchs's dystrophy):

Indistinct sight which often happens worse after a dream
Non-constant visual acuity
Dazzle (zasvt) at a view of a light source
Intolerance of bright light
Feeling of sand in eyes

Diagnosis:

Endothelial dystrophy is found at inspection of an eye behind a slit lamp. Besides, the ultrasonic pakhimetriya is applied to assessment of thickness of a cornea and, therefore, expressiveness of its hypostasis. The endothelial microscopy gives a sharp image of an endothelium and an opportunity to determine density of cells per acre, their average size.

Treatment of endothelial dystrophy of a cornea (Fuchs's dystrophy):

Medicamentous means it is impossible to achieve treatment from this disease. Solutions with high osmolarity, i.e. ability to attract water, help to dehydrate a cornea and to temporarily improve sight. In recent years the technique of a corneal krosslinking is rather successfully applied to treatment of endothelial dystrophy of a cornea (both the spontaneous, and resulted loss of an endothelium during operation). The keratoplasty at a successful outcome can yield good result. But because of rather high risk of the complications connected with operation it, as a rule, is appointed at visual acuity less than 0,1-0,3.