Fuchs and Corneal Swelling

What is Fuchs’ and corneal swelling?

Fuchs’ dystrophy is an eye disease affecting the corneas (clear, protective tissues covering the pupil and iris) in the front of your eyes. It develops when cells in the cornea die, causing them to swell with fluid. This can negatively affect your vision and cause vision loss when left untreated. 

See Dr. Abdelhady at the first sign of a problem to avoid crippling complications. Other conditions that may contribute to corneal swelling (in addition to Fuchs’ dystrophy) include eye injuries, eye surgery, glaucoma, keratitis, and iris inflammation.

What are the symptoms of Fuchs’ and corneal swelling?

The symptoms of Fuchs’ dystrophy and corneal swelling include:

• Blurred vision
• Hazy vision
• Poor night vision
• Cloudy vision
• Eye pain caused by corneal blisters
• Scarring on the central cornea
• Bright light sensitivity
• Problems seeing on rainy days
• Seeing halos around lights or glare
• Poor contrast vision (difficulty seeing objects against a background)
• Vision changes
• Feeling like you have sand in your eyes
• Eventual vision loss

In the early stage of the disease, blurred vision may appear in the morning and gradually clear up later in the day. Late-stage Fuchs’ dystrophy is characterized by consistent swelling and blurry vision at all times. 

What are the risk factors for Fuchs’ and corneal swelling?

Risk factors for developing Fuchs’ dystrophy and corneal swelling include:

• Family history of Fuchs’ dystrophy
• Smoking
• Diabetes
• Unprotected ultraviolet light exposure
• Aging
• Being female

Early detection and treatment are crucial in preventing the worsening of vision problems or blindness.

How are Fuchs’ and corneal swelling diagnosed?

Dr. Abdelhady diagnoses Fuchs’ dystrophy and corneal swelling by discussing your medical history, completing vision testing, and examining your eyes to screen for thickened membranes, bumps on your cornea, and other abnormal eye changes. 

He may use a microscope to view your eyes and complete imaging or other painless diagnostic eye tests to determine which eye disease you may have and how to best treat it. 

How are Fuch’s and corneal swelling treated?

Treatment for corneal swelling and Fuchs’ dystrophy include:

• Ointments
• Eye drops
• Not smoking
• Blood sugar management 
• Soft contact lenses
• Using a hair dryer to dry your eyes
• Partial or full corneal transplant surgery
• Descemet’s stripping only (DSO)

DSO is a procedure that involves stripping diseased cells in your eyes, allowing healthier cells to replace them. Dr. Abdelhady may recommend more than one treatment for Fuchs’ dystrophy to optimize your results. 

Schedule an eye exam at Holmdel Eye Center by phone or you can request one online today to determine if you have Fuchs’ and corneal swelling.