What is fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy?
Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) (pronounced fooks end-o-thee-lee-al corn-e-al di-tro-fee) is an eye condition that affects your cornea, the clear front “window” of your eye. The cornea is made up of different layers and it is the innermost layer called the endothelium which is affected by FECD. FECD may cause your cornea to become swollen, cloudy and sensitive to light, and your vision may decline as a result.
FECD is three to four times more common in women than men, usually affects both eyes and is typically seen in people in their 40s and 50s but it can also occur at a much earlier age or later in life.
FECD usually develops slowly and can affect people to a varying degree. While some people may never have any real problems with their vision, some may notice blurring and glare quite early on.
In some cases FECD can cause you to experience light sensitivity, for further information see What is light sensitivity? or I'm troubled by bright lighting and glare, what can I do?
If you have fuchs dystrophy a corneal transplant can normally make your sight clear again.
For support and advice on Fuchs dystrophy contact Fuchsfriends UK an internet based support group:
Please note Fuchsfriends is not a UK registered charity.
