A Morphologic Study of Fuchs Dystrophy and Bullous Keratopathy

Abstract

Histopathologic changes in the corneal stroma and keratocytes occur in Fuchs dystrophy. Secondary lipid keratopathy ensues and may contribute to corneal haze. A higher proportion of keratocytes in Fuchs dystrophy have granular deposit than in bullous keratopathy. That a high proportion of keratocytes had degenerative changes in both Fuchs dystrophy and bullous keratopathy suggests that keratocytes may degenerate secondary to altered stromal microenvironment because of endothelial cell loss.