Long Term Results of Corneal Grafting in Fuchs‘ Endothelial Dystrophy

Abstract

The long term results of grafting for Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy are reported in 25 patients with 33 penetrating keratoplasties, with a mean observation period of 50 months, 33% of the cases showed a visual acuity of 0.5 or better, while 42% had a visual acuity less than 0.1. The cause of visual acuity less than 0.1 was largely permanent corneal oedema, which was observed to develop in 39% of the cases. Some of the causes of oedema were accounted for by graft rejection, glaucoma and other obvious causes, but in a significant number of cases (12% of all cases), the oedema developed as a quiet, slowly progressive oedema without any obvious aetiology. It is tentatively suggested that the recurrence of oedema might be associated with the primary disease in patients with Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy.