Fuchs’ dystrophy is a type of eye disease which is characterized by death of cells that line the inner corner of the eye’s cornea. This is a gradual process. Mostly, this disease affects both the eyes. This dystrophy is commonly seen in women than in men. This mainly affects people who are in the 50-60 age group. Fuchs’ dystrophy is named after the famous Austrian ophthalmologist Ernst Fuchs (1851-1930).
Causes of Fuchs’ Dystrophy
Fuchs’ dystrophy is an inheritable disease, it is passed from parents to their children. Autosomal dominance is observed in some families. Autosomal dominance means that you have a 50% chance of developing the dystrophy, if either of your parents are afflicted with it. But sometimes, this dystrophy can also strike those who don’t have a family history of Fuchs’ dystrophy.
The signs of the dystrophy are often seen by doctors in patients who are in their 30s and 40s. Although, most of the vision problems don’t occur before the age of 50. The cells that line the inner corner of the cornea are primarily affected by this disorder. This thin layer of cells is known as endothelium.
The cause of the endothelium cell death is still unknown. This thin layer of cells pump out the excess fluid accumulated in the cornea. The fluid begins to accumulate in the eye’s cornea as more and more cells begin to die. This causes a cloudy cornea and swelling.
In the initial stage of the disease, the fluid usually builds up only during sleep. But as it gradually progresses and the condition worsens, small blisters start appearing in the endothelium. These blisters grow in size and finally break. This results in eye pain.
Symptoms of Fuchs’ Dystrophy
- Worsening vision
- Seeing colored halos around lights
- Initially experiencing a blurred or foggy vision in the mornings
- Sensitivity to lights
- Eye pain
2 Comments
When the author speaks of “cells that line the inner corner of the eye’s cornea”, the reference might be very misleading. The endothelium covers the entire inner side of the cornea, not just ‘a corner’. The endothelium is composed of a single layer of endothelial cells, which are the cells that die at a faster than normal rate. The author also did not state that the endothelial cells do not regenerate – once one is gone, it is gone for good. Endothelial cells normally die at a slow rate, but we are born with more than enough to last us throughout and past our normal lifetimes. In Fuchs’, the rate of cell death is multiple times the normal rate.
Also, a person who has Fuchs’ normally (if inherited, the almost universal manner in which a person ‘obtains’ Fuchs’) has it from conception (even prior to birth). It is diagnosed at a later date. As such, a person does not ‘develop’ Fuchs’ at some age, but rather they always have had Fuchs’, but only are diagnosed with Fuchs’ at a later date.
Another thing – Researchers are discovering that men and women inherit Fuchs’ at about the same rate, but the symptoms of Fuchs’ seem to exhibit more in women than in men. Maybe because women are a bit more open in discussing medical problems with their doctor? Maybe hormones are a factor? No one knows for sure why, but inheritance seems to be near equal, but the symptoms of Fuchs’ seem to be a bit more diagnosed in women than in men.
Also, just because a person knows of no one else in the family who has been diagnosed with Fuchs’ does not automatically and necessarily mean that no one else in the family has Fuchs’. Another family member may not yet have been diagnosed with Fuchs’, the doctor may not have told the patient of the diagnosis, or the patient may not have heard the doctor tell them they were diagnosed with Fuchs’, or they may have died prior to any such diagnosis, or they may have not told anyone else in the family that they have such a diagnosis (some because they don’t know how to pronounce the word Fuchs’, thinking the pronunciation is the same as the vulgar English word). Knowing of no one else in the family being diagnosed with Fuchs’ does not automatically mean that no one else in the family does or does not have Fuchs’, diagnosed or not.
One more thing – the symptoms of Fuchs’ might be caused by something else, such as cataracts and/or some other problem in the eye. That is why you need to have your eyes examined by a competent and knowledgeable eye doctor who can diagnose such problems. Most optometrists, although very good and conscientious, are not trained to diagnose many such problems.
Michael Inlow
Board Member
The Corneal Dystrophy Foundation
People in the past and probably many people in the present have been diagnosed with cataracts instead of Fuchs. There are ophthalmologists of various levels of training, experience and expertise. My grandmother and her children all had cataract surgery at various ages. My brother says he has been told he has a different kind of cataract condition from normal. I believe that is Fuchs and his doctor isn’t giving him the full facts or he is simplifying it. I was told by one doctor that I had a temporary cornea dystrophy. I sought out a cornea specialist and found out the truth.