Treatment

Some nonsurgical treatments and self-care strategies might help relieve the symptoms of Fuchs' dystrophy. If you have severe disease, your doctor might suggest surgery.

Medications and other therapies

• Eye medication. Saline (5% sodium chloride) eyedrops or ointments can help reduce the amount of fluid in your cornea.
• Soft contact lenses. These act as a covering to relieve pain.

Surgery

People who have surgery for advanced Fuchs' dystrophy can have much better vision and remain symptom-free for years afterward. Surgical options include:

• Transplanting the inner layer of the cornea. Known as Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK), this procedure involves replacing the back layer of the cornea with healthy endothelial cells from a donor. The procedure is usually done with local anesthesia in an outpatient setting.
• Transplanting the cornea. If you have another eye condition or have had previous eye surgery, DMEK may not be an option. Your doctor may recommend a partial-thickness cornea transplant, a procedure known as Descemet-stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK). Rarely, a full-thickness cornea transplant, known as penetrating keratoplasty (PK), may be recommended.

Potential future treatments

A variety of new treatments are being investigated that could change how Fuchs' dystrophy is managed in the future. After the genetic abnormality associated with most cases of Fuchs' dystrophy was discovered, there is a better understanding of how the disease might develop, and this offers the potential for nonsurgical therapies in the future. Various eyedrop treatments are being developed and may enter clinical trials in the future. Novel surgical treatments also are being studied to determine if they may be of benefit.