Message from the Editor-in-Chief

Dear Colleagues,
Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy is a progressive disease that affects about 4% of adults worldwide and, if left untreated, can lead to corneal edema and painful loss of vision.

At Mass Eye and Ear, we are home to one of the highest-volume treatment programs for Fuchs dystrophy in the United States. Over the past decade, our researchers have developed research programs to understand disease mechanisms and developed novel surgical techniques, reducing the recovery time after corneal transplantation. While treatment for Fuchs dystrophy used to require a full-thickness corneal transplant, Mass Eye and Ear surgeons have adopted endothelial keratoplasty, first DSAEK and then DMEK, to treat Fuchs dystrophy with minimally invasive surgical interventions. DMEK is a state-of-the- art technique with reduced transplant rejection, quicker recovery times, and better vision outcomes. Another innovative surgical approach, Descemet’s stripping only (DSO), which removes diseased endothelial cells without donor tissue implantation, treating Fuchs dystrophy without transplantation, has been spearheaded by Mass Eye and Ear faculty. Today, our clinician scientists continue to advance our understanding of disease
pathogenesis and identify targets for new therapies.

Inside this issue of Eye Insights, you will find helpful information for identifying the disease and advising your patients on next steps for treatment.

David Glendenning CoganProfessor of Ophthalmology and Chair, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School

Chief of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Massachusetts General Hospital

Ophthalmologist-in-Chief, Brigham and Women’s Hospital