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Fuchs corneal dystrophy

Description

Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy is characterised by bilateral endothelial cell loss.  Examination signs include:

  • central guttata – the presence of irregular warts or excrescences on Descemet membrane secreted by abnormal endothelial cells
  • tiny dark spots caused by distribution of the regular endothelial mosaic which progress to a ‘beaten metal appearance’ 

History of Fuchs corneal dystrophy

1910Ernst Fuchs (1851-1930) reported 13 cases of central corneal clouding, loss of corneal sensation and formation of epithelial bullae which he labelled as ‘dystrophia epithelialis corneae’

1913 – Exacerbation of the disease post cataract surgery was noted

1920’s – The pathophysiology of Fuchs’ dystrophy was recognised as primarily a disease of the corneal endothelium, with Alfred Vogt a Swiss Ophthalmologist first using the term ‘central guttata’ in 1921


Associated Persons

Alternative names
  • Fuchs’ endothelial-epithelial dystrophy

Controversies

Did they first describe or popularise or plagiarise?


References

Historical references

  • List

Eponymous term review


eponymictionary

the names behind the name

BA MA (Oxon) MBChB (Edin) FACEM FFSEM. Emergency physician, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.  Passion for rugby; medical history; medical education; and asynchronous learning #FOAMed evangelist. Co-founder and CTO of Life in the Fast lane | Eponyms | Books | Twitter |

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