Fuch's Corneal Endotheilal Dystrophy

[mgmm1]

I am a 48 year old woman diagnosed with Fuch's last week.  My main symptom is when I sleep/rest on my side, my vision is blurred on that side only.  I have worken up during the night to discover that problem.  I transfer over  to my back for a while, over 30 minutes, and my vision improves.  This occurs only when I lie on my side, either side.  So, I've been "training" myself to sleep on my back, to prevent blurring, but it has been difficult.  This began about 2 years ago and I went to an optometrist, who did a pressure test and pretty much dismissed it. I can see 20/20 with both eyes most of the time, but it is somewhat difficult with my right eye.   I decided to go to an eye specialist last week who diagnosed me with Fuch's.  This was the first time I had heard of this disease and I am honestly baffled and very nervous.  No one in my family has ever had this kind or any kind of an eye problem besides near or farsightedness.  Is it at all possible that I was misdiagnosed?  I've been using a hair dryer in the morning on my eyes and Gen Teal lubricant drops.  I don't understand why I use a hair dryer to dry, pull out fluid and then drops to wet and moisturize.  I feel like I should be doing more so this doesn't progress.  I don't know if the doctor did a cell count, all I was told was that I have this disease, our corneas usually outlast us, use drops, hair dryer and come back in a year. I can't focus on anything but this...please advise if there's something else I should be doing and if this possibly could be something else.

[mgmm1]

Yes, thank you, I will make an appointment with a specialist at UCSF.  But, can you possibly answer this question -- since the blurred vision occurs when I sleep on my side, could my problem possibly be something else besides Fuch's?  If I sleep on my back all night, I don't have the blurred vision in the morning.   Doctors seem baffled when I explain that.  (The doctor did see some guttata, but I understand that could be a part of aging, too...)

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

See a corneal specialist.  If you need surgery in the future he would do it.  Now the endothelium (the problem area in Fuch's) can be transplanted rather than the entire cornea and healing is rapid.

Dr. O.