Corneal endothelial cells play a critical role in maintaining corneal transparency and dysfunction of these cells caused by aging, diseases (such as Fuch's dystrophy), injury or surgical trauma, which can lead to corneal edema and blindness. Due to their limited proliferative capacity in vivo, the only treatment method is via transplantation of a cadaver donor cornea. However, there is a severe...

Epithelial basement membrane dystrophy (EBMD) is the most common corneal dystrophy seen in clinical practice. Its appearance varies, which leads to frequent misdiagnosis, but presentation most often includes dot-like epithelial opacities, whorl-like fingerprint lines and circumscribed gray map-like patterns. It is for this reason that EBMD is also referred to as a map-dot-fingerprint dystrophy....

AIMS To report the appearances of cornea guttata and Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy from white light confocal microscopy. METHODS Seven eyes of four consecutive patients with cornea guttata were prospectively examined. Of the seven eyes, three also had corneal oedema (Fuchs' dystrophy). In vivo white light tandem scanning confocal microscopy was performed in all eyes. Results were compared with...

AIM To determine the disease causing gene defects in two patients with Meesmann's corneal dystrophy. METHODS Mutational analysis of domains 1A and 2B of the keratin 3 (K3) and keratin 12 (K12) genes from two patients with Meesmann's corneal dystrophy was performed by polymerase chain reaction amplification and direct sequencing. RESULTS Novel mutations of the K12 gene were identified in bot...

Purpose To report a case of endothelial keratoplasties (EKs) performed in a 4 month old with a posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy. Observations A 4 month old infant underwent Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) for posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy. The graft was found to be dislocated on day 5 post-operatively and an attempt to unfold the DMEK scroll and re-bubble ...

Aim: To determine the disease causing gene defects in two patients with Meesmann’s corneal dystrophy. Methods: Mutational analysis of domains 1A and 2B of the keratin 3 (K3) and keratin 12 (K12) genes from two patients with Meesmann’s corneal dystrophy was performed by polymerase chain reaction amplification and direct sequencing. Results: Novel mutations of the K12 gene were identified in both...

Published descriptions of families with lattice dystrophy of the cornea reveal a much more varied clinical course and a more pleomorphic corneal picture than the rather stereotyped textbook descriptions would suggest. This report describes a family with lattice dystrophy of unusually late onset with retention of useful vision into the 7th decade. Herpes simplex keratitis was misdiagnosed in 5 m...

Normal, scarred, and dystrophic corneas were histochemically probed with a panel of 16 lectins by means of an avidin-biotin revealing system. Normal corneal epithelial cells, keratocytes, and endothelial cells expressed at least two distinct N-linked oligosaccharide subsets, of the non-bisected, biantennary and bisected, bi-/triantennary types. Corneal scars stained variably with the lectin sub...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the use and complications of a penetrating keratoprosthesis implantation in the management of corneal opacification in dogs. METHODS A retrospective clinical study describes the indications for the surgical technique utilized and the outcomes of this procedure in 20 eyes of 19 dogs with blindness of corneal origin. A successful surgical outcome was defined as a clear ker...

Three genetic corneal dystrophies [congenital hereditary endothelial dystrophy type 2 (CHED2), Harboyan syndrome and Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy] arise from mutations of the SLC4a11 gene, which cause blindness from fluid accumulation in the corneal stroma. Selective transmembrane water conductance controls cell size, renal fluid reabsorption and cell division. All known water-channellin...