Does Harley Vision treat Fuchs Endothelial Dystrophy?
Harley Vision is a highly specialist clinic for Fuchs endothelial dystrophy. Our surgeon is a cornea specialist with multi-fellowship international surgical training in advanced cornea disorders. Mukhtar Bizrah deals with this all spectrums of severity of Fuchs endothelial dystrophy, and has extensive experience in the newest surgical techniques (e.g. DMEK).
If you are looking for a safe and reliable treatment for Fuchs endothelial dystrophy in the UK, we suggest scheduling an appointment with our specialists. Harley Vision is well-known for it’s high quality specialist cornea care, dealing with complex cornea referrals from London and all around the world.
What is Fuchs Endothelial Dystrophy?
Fuchs Endothelial Dystrophy is a progressive eye condition that causes gradual vision loss. Cloudy or hazy vision is often worse in the morning, particularly in the early stages of the condition. The condition progresses over time, and if left untreated, leads to sensitivity to light, eye pain, and loss of sight in extreme cases.
Fuchs Endothelial Dystrophy affects the cornea, which is the transparent layer at the front of the eye. The cornea is a normally clear and transparent structure. Fuchs endothelial dystrophy is a disease of the back layer of the cornea (endothelial cells). The endothelial cells are responsible for pumping fluid out of the cornea, and hence, keeping the cornea clear. Fluid build up in the cornea results in cloudy or frosty vision. As the condition advances, tiny blisters can develop on the cornea, resulting in significant pain and vision loss.
Most symptoms of Fuchs Endothelial Dystrophy start to develop in people’s fifties or sixties, and in some only become manifest in seventies or eighties. In some individuals, symptoms can start at an earlier age.
Causes of Fuchs Endothelial Dystrophy
Fuchs endothelial dystrophy can be either sporadic (occurs due to an unknown cause) or genetic (passed down through family).
Early-onset of Fuchs endothelial dystrophy can result in mild blurring of vision, which may be improved with eye drops or new spectacles. If there measures fail, then cornea transplantation may be needed. Get yourself tested and know your treatment options for Fuchs endothelial dystrophy in the UK at one of our London cornea clinics.
Symptoms of Fuchs Dystrophy
Fuchs’ dystrophy symptoms are blurred or cloud vision, which tends to be worse after waking up. Other symptoms include vision fluctuation, vision decrease in dim and bright lights, seeing glare or halos around lights, and feeling or pain/grittiness in the eyes.
The symptoms of Fuchs’ dystrophy vary as per the severity of the disease. The course of the disease is generally divided into four stages that may span over 10-20 years.
Stage 1
People with Fuchs' dystrophy in this stage are less likely to experience any symptoms. However, tests can detect the disease at its early stage. It is the stage when the pigment dusting starts to appear on the posterior surface of the cornea, caused by thickened Descemet's membrane and central corneal guttae appearing as tiny droplets.
Step 02
The patient starts to experience decreased vision when awakening, such as blurred vision in the morning and glare. At this point, cornea swelling can be noticed in the form of fine microcysts on the corneal surface. Under clinical examination and high resolution cornea imaging, experts can see detect subtle cornea swelling.
Step 03
By this point, patients start to have painful episodes in their eyes and decreased vision. The formation of bullae (cysts containing fluid) is noticed in epithelial and subepithelial layers. This is a stage where you must take your treatment seriously. Bullae formation can results in permanent cornea scarring. Consult our board-certified cornea specialists for treating Fuchs endothelial dystrophy in the UK.
Step 04
While patients may or may not experience painful episodes, vision loss may have advanced to a severe form.
If you experience these symptoms, it’s crucial to get yourself treated earliest. Harley Vision offers the most advanced treatment options for Fuchs endothelial dystrophy in the UK, uncluding partial thickness cornea transplants such as DMEK.
We are dedicated to offering the highest standard of Fuchs corneal dystrophy treatment in the UK. Book your consultation for a thorough diagnosis at one of our London cornea clinics.
How do you diagnose Fuchs endothelial dystrophy?
Diagnosis of Fuchs Dystrophy: For a reliable diagnosis of Fuchs Endothelial Dystrophy, your doctor needs to undergo the following tests besides a standard “vision test.”
Cornea examination and grading: The doctor will use an optical microscope or slit lamp to diagnose Fuchs Endothelial Dystrophy to identify any irregular bumps (guttae) on the cornea. They will also assess any noticeable swelling in your cornea to determine the disease stage.
Corneal Thickness: High resolution imaging is used to determine the cornea thickness in micrometres. We use state-of-the-art high definition cornea OCT scans to detect subtle signs of Fuchs dystrophy.
Cornea endothelial cell count: If the condition is not obvious, or would like to know how advanced the Fuchs endothelial dystrophy is, then endothelial cell counts may be needed. However, this test is not always required when the condition is clearly manifest.
Corneal topography: This includes taking state-of-the-art images of your cornea to determine if there are any microscopic abnormalities of the cornea shape.
Reaching the correct diagnosis is important as there are numerous causes of reduced vision which can resemble Fuchs Endothelial Dystrophy. Furthermore, there are now excellent treatment options for Fuchs endoehtlial dystrophy which can restore your vision to near-normal levels. At Harley Vision in London, we combine highly specialist experise with state of the art diagnostic imaging to make an accurate diagnosis of your eye condition, and explain your treatment options.
Treatment Options for Fuchs endothelial Dystrophy in the UK
The early stages of Fuchs Endothelial Dystrophy can result in mild blurring of vision, particularly after waking up. This is often treated with lubricating eye drops or ointments. Hypertonic saline ointment may also be tried as a method of dehydrating the cornea to improve vision.
As the condition progresses, a partial cornea thickness cornea transplant can restore vision to normal or near-normal levels. At Harley Vision, we advise undergoing DMEK graft surgery. This is the thinnest cornea graft surgery possible, giving the best visual outcomes and least risk of cornea graft rejection.
However, it is important to have an eye check at a specialist cornea clinic to ensure that Fuchs dystrophy is the true cause of reduced vision, as it is common for cataract to co-exist. If there is a visually significant cataract, then there are three surgical options for treatment:
- Cornea graft surgery combined with cataract surgery
- Cornea graft surgery on it’s own, followed by cataract surgery at a later date
- Cataract surgery only, followed by cornea graft surgery at a later date
A cornea specialist who deals frequently with such cases, will be able to advise you about the optimal surgical approach in your specific cases.
Most surgeries for Fuchs endothelial dystrophy in the UK come with two options: a full corneal transplant or an endothelial keratoplasty (EK). Your doctor removes the cornea and replaces it with the donors in complete corneal surgery. Our surgeon for Fuchs endothelial dystrophy in the UK replaces the damaged endothelial cells with healthier ones in EK.
The best surgical treatment for advanced Fuchs endothelial dystrophy in the UK and other developed countries worldwide remains the DMEK, short for Descemet’s Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty. The damaged endothelial layer is replaced with a donor in this surgery, leaving the remaining layers untouched.
DMEK surgery is often preferred over DSAEK and traditional full corneal transplants. It has less chance of graft rejection while offering faster visual recovery and reduced usage of postoperative topical steroids. However, a traditional full-thickness corneal transplant may be needed for patients with significant corneal scarring. Harley Vision is a renowned name for treating Fuchs endothelial dystrophy in the UK.
How does Fuchs eye disease affect your vision?
Fuchs eye disease is a progressive disease that can start from mild cases of blurry vision to a significant scale of vision loss. Patients only notice some blurred or distorted visions in the early stages when they wake up. They may also experience ocular pain and some grittiness. The vision loss could be more severe when the disease progresses, including recurrent episodes of significant eye pain. Get the best care and treatment for Fuchs dystrophy in the UK to control the disease at its earliest. Schedule a consultation for Fuchs eye disease in the UK at Harley Vision.
Risk Factors of Endothelial Dystrophy Surgery
While the surgery is considered safe for most patients with cornea damage, some risks include infection, transplant rejection, redness, bleeding, sensitivity to light, pain, and blurred vision.
If these symptoms persist after the surgery, patients must contact their doctor immediately.
There are different types of surgical procedures available to treat various stages of Fuchs eye disease; contact your doctor at Harley Vision for the best Fuchs corneal dystrophy treatment in the UK.
Costs for Fuchs corneal dystrophy treatment in the UK
At Harley Vision, we have created a simple price list for treatment for Fuchs eye disease in the UK. We charge a fixed price for each type of surgery, with no hidden fees and no marketing push. We also provide free after-care for one whole year. Our team will help you with help you through the assessment, and our lead surgeon will plan the best treatment options. A complete corneal transplant surgery will cost more than a partial thickness DMEK transplant for Fuchs eye disease in the UK, as the process is more critical and time-consuming.
You can consult our Internationally fellowship-trained cornea surgeons to find out the UK’s best Fuchs corneal dystrophy treatment. Book an appointment today.
Frequent asked questions (FAQs):
Without treatment, the Fuchs disease can progress to a stage where one may experience severe pain, significantly reduced vision, and, in rare cases, blindness.
Fuch’s dystrophy is a progressive condition that increasingly gets worse with time. There is no medicinal cure for it, but it can be controlled through topical eye drops and ointments. In some cases, you may have to go for surgery. The surgery for Fuchs endothelial dystrophy in the UK at Harley Vision is relatively simple and helps restore sight and eliminate physical discomfort.
At Harley Vision, we conduct three types of Fuchs dystrophy surgery based on the severity of the condition. Know which plans suit you the best. Contact our surgeon for the best treatment plan for Fuchs dystrophy in the UK.
There is a fifty percent chance of an individual developing Fuchs Endothelial Dystrophy if their parents have the disease. However, it can also occur in people without any known family history. Also, this disease is more prominent among women than men.
If you notice any symptoms of Fuchs Endothelial Dystrophy, there is still a chance to control it and restore your vision. Contact our doctors for Fuchs dystrophy in the UK at Harley Vision.
Fuchs Dystrophy usually starts among people in the fourth to fifth decade of life. However, in most cases, the symptoms often go unnoticeable. The symptoms often start developing when a person reaches their 50s or 60s.
Are you looking for a safe treatment for Fuchs eye disease in the UK? Harley Vision is a popular medical establishment for treating Fuchs dystrophy in the UK, offering reliable care and state-of-the-art treatment from experienced surgeons.
Fuchs Dystrophy can easily be controlled when caught and treated at its earlier stages. However, patients may have to go for surgical options in some cases. The surgeries for Fuchs dystrophy in the UK at Harley Vision are performed by Mr. Mukhtar Bizrah, a highly experienced cornea surgeon and an expert in advanced corneal diseases and cataracts.
Fuchs Dystrophy, at its earliest stage, is not severe. You may experience some blurring vision, but symptoms can be alleviated with eye drops. However, if the disease progresses, it can lead to severe vision loss and pain that can only be treated with surgery. Harley Vision offers the best treatment for Fuchs dystrophy in the UK by Dr. Mukhtar Bizrah, a board-certified ophthalmologist in the UK, Canada, and Europe.
DSAEK or DMEK is a treatment for Fuchs eye disease in the UK that involves replacing the back layer of the cornea. In these treatments, air is used in the eye to keep the transplant in place and allow it to attach on its own, rather than using stitches.
Dr Mukhtar Bizrah carries out all surgeries, a board-certified corneal surgeon specializing in Fuchs corneal dystrophy treatment in the UK.
There are several types of cornea graft surgery, including Penetrating Keratoplasty (PK), Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty (DALK), Descemet Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSAEK), and Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK).
- Penetrating Keratoplasty (PK): This traditional full-thickness corneal transplant involves replacing all layers of the cornea. This procedure might be used if my cornea is scarred or severely damaged.
- Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty (DALK): This partial-thickness transplant procedure replaces the front and middle layers of the cornea, leaving the inner layer in place. This can be used when the inner layer of the cornea is healthy.
- Descemet Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSAEK): This partial-thickness transplant replaces the deepest layer of the cornea, leaving the front and middle layers in place. This is used when only the inner layer of the cornea is damaged or diseased.
- Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK): This procedure is similar to DSAEK but replaces only the very deepest layer of the cornea. This is used for conditions affecting the innermost layer of the cornea.
- Other: There are various other types of cornea surgery, and will be discussed with you by the eye surgeon where relevant.
Regardless of the type of keratoplasty, the surgery involves the removal of a portion of my diseased or damaged cornea, followed by the placement of a clear, healthy donor cornea.
This is secured by an injection of air or gas, or with tiny sutures. A patch or shield will be placed over my eye to protect it during the initial stages of recovery.
At Harley Vision, our cornea surgeons perform all the types of cornea surgeries listed, and have extensive experience in managing complex conditions.
