Eye disorders/inheritances

A few years ago, I learned that glaucoma and cataracts are a problem with
my mother's side of the family, regardless of gender. This past week, I found out that the women
on my dad's side of the family suffer from Fuque's syndrome as well as cataracts.I'm 43, and I noticed that my eyes tend to be light sensitive and blurry when I am fatigued. I often lose some degree of depth of perception at night when I am fatigued.

Can you gaze into a crystal ball on this one and give me some info?

Thanks,
Dan

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

I see a yearly examination by an Eye MD ophthalmologist as absoutely necessary. Your chances of getting glaucoma are higher than normal (normal is 2% your risk perhaps 6-10%). Cataracts are due to age but if the people in your family need surgery in their 40s or 50s there is a strong hereditary factor and you may also need same.

Fuchs's dystrophy runs in women more than men and is hereditary but if you know of no-one that has required a corneal transplant you're in good shape as most Fuchs' doesn't need surgery. Plus if you do there is a new operations DSAEK that is much better safer and faster healing than a corneal transplant.

JCH III MD