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J Ophthalmol 2019 17;2019:5921846. Epub 2019 Mar 17.

B.P.Koirala Lions Centre for Ophthalmic Studies, Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Institute of Medicine, Kathmandu 44600, Nepal.

This study was performed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of the first fifty patients who underwent Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) during the 3-month postoperative period and to describe the challenges encountered during the learning curve. In this retrospective study, we reviewed the charts of patients who underwent DMEK. All information regarding patient demographics, indication for surgery, preoperative and postoperative visual acuity at 3 months, donor age, and complications encountered intraoperatively and postoperatively was recorded. Read More

Br J Ophthalmol 2019 Apr 18. Epub 2019 Apr 18.

Ophthalmology, Military Maedical Academy, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation.

Purpose: To study the relationship between epithelial thickness (ET) and corneal thickness (CT) in healthy fellow eyes of patients with unilateral bullous keratopathy (BKP) and healthy subjects.

Methods: Seventeen BKP patients (nine males, eight females, 73.2±10. Read More

Cornea 2019 Apr 16. Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Cornea and Refractive Surgery Service, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.

Purpose: To investigate corneal tomography changes and refractive outcomes after Descemetorhexis without endothelial keratoplasty (DWEK).

Methods: Retrospective chart review of 25 eyes from 16 patients with Fuchs corneal endothelial dystrophy that underwent successful DWEK combined with cataract surgery.

Results: There was no significant change in anterior corneal curvature on tomography maps. Read More

Cornea 2019 Apr 9. Epub 2019 Apr 9.

Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Japan.

Purpose: To investigate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and trinucleotide repeat (TNR) expansion in the transcription factor 4 (TCF4) gene in a large cohort of German patients with Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD).

Methods: Genomic DNA was obtained from 398 patients with FECD and from 58 non-FECD controls. Thirty-seven previously reported SNPs were evaluated by genotyping. Read More

Cornea 2019 Apr 9. Epub 2019 Apr 9.

Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.

Purpose: To evaluate 3-year outcomes of femtosecond laser-assisted Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (F-DMEK) compared with manual Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (M-DMEK) in patients with Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD).

Methods: A retrospective, interventional study, including eyes with FECD and cataract that underwent either F-DMEK or M-DMEK combined with cataract extraction at either the Toronto Western Hospital or Kensington Eye Institute, and that had at least 18 months' follow-up was conducted.

Exclusion Criteria: complicated anterior segments, previous vitrectomy, previous keratoplasty, corneal opacity, or any other visually significant ocular comorbidity. Read More

Vet Ophthalmol 2019 Apr 10. Epub 2019 Apr 10.

Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute, Baltimore, Maryland.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of an endothelial keratoplasty procedure at defined intervals to 1 year postoperatively for the treatment of corneal endothelial dystrophy (CED) in a canine patient.

Procedure: A dog diagnosed with CED with progressive corneal edema underwent an endothelial keratoplasty. The patient was examined pre- and postoperatively with slit lamp biomicroscopy and ultrasonic pachymetry. Read More

Cornea 2019 May;38(5):e14

Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

Saudi J Ophthalmol 2019 Jan-Mar;33(1):88-93. Epub 2018 Jul 7.

Centro Oftalmológico Virgilio Galvis, Floridablanca, Colombia.

We describe the case of a 52-year-old female with past history of LASIK, 21 years earlier, without Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy, who underwent phacoemulsification and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. During the early postoperative period severe corneal edema, anterior chamber cellularity and iris inflammation presented, accompanied by a clear space along the LASIK interface. Those findings were interpreted as part of a Toxic Anterior Segment Syndrome (TASS) and secondary interface fluid syndrome (IFS). Read More

Curr Eye Res 2019 Mar 26:1-7. Epub 2019 Mar 26.

a Doheny Image Reading Center , Doheny Eye Institute , Los Angeles , California , USA.

Purpose: To characterize and correlate guttata severity, Descemet's membrane thickness (DMT), central cornea thickness (CCT) in corneas with guttae using specular microscopy and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and test the Doheny Image Reading Center (DIRC) specular microscopy-based corneal guttata severity scale.

Methods: Forty-nine eyes of 49 patients with guttata and 36 eyes of age-matched of 36 normal controls were enrolled in the study. Three images of the central cornea and four of the peripheral cornea (inferior, superior, nasal and temporal) of each eye were taken using the Konan NSP-9900 specular microscope. Read More

Am J Ophthalmol 2019 Mar 21. Epub 2019 Mar 21.

Netherlands Institute for Innovative Ocular Surgery - USA (NIIOS-USA), San Diego, California, USA; Netherlands Institute for Innovative Ocular Surgery (NIIOS), Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Melles Cornea Clinic, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Amnitrans EyeBank Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address:

Purpose: To challenge the current consensus on the mechanism for corneal hydrops in eyes with keratoconus (KC).

Design: Retrospective, interventional case series.

Methods: Sixteen eyes of 10 patients with comorbid KC and Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) underwent uncomplicated Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK), and 5 eyes of 5 patients with KC alone underwent Bowman layer (BL) transplantation, complicated by inadvertent perforation of the posterior corneal stroma and Descemet membrane (DM). Read More

World J Clin Cases 2019 Mar;7(5):642-649

Department of Ophthalmology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou 20012, Taiwan.

Background: The current case report describes successful phacoemulsification with the aid of perioperative topical ascorbic acid (AA) in two patients with corneal endothelial disorders to prevent postoperative corneal endothelial decompensation.

Case Summary: Two eyes of two patients underwent phacoemulsification with pre-existing corneal endothelial disorders including Fuchs corneal endothelial dystrophy (Patient 1) and endotheliitis (Patient 2). Topical AA was applied to both patients at least one month before and after with a frequency of four times per day. Read More

Am J Ophthalmol 2019 Mar 6. Epub 2019 Mar 6.

Case Western Reserve University Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University Hospitals Eye Institute, and the Cornea Image Analysis Reading Center, Cleveland, OH.

Purpose: To examine the association of donor, recipient, and operative factors on graft dislocation after Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) in the Cornea Preservation Time Study (CPTS) as well as the effects of graft dislocation and elevated IOP on graft success and endothelial cell density (ECD) 3 years postoperatively.

Design: Cohort study within a multi-center, double-masked, randomized clinical trial.

Methods: 1,090 individuals (1,330 study eyes), median age 70 years, undergoing DSAEK for Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (94% of eyes) or pseudophakic or aphakic corneal edema (6% of eyes). Read More

Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2019 May 21;257(5):975-981. Epub 2019 Feb 21.

Department of Ophthalmology, Saarland University Medical Center, Kirrberger Str. 100, 66424, Homburg/Saar, Germany.

Purpose: The study aims to compare the impact of non-mechanical excimer laser-assisted (EXCIMER) and femtosecond laser-assisted (FEMTO) trephinations on graft endothelial cell density (ECD) and graft thickness before and after suture removal following penetrating keratoplasty (PK).

Methods: The inclusion criteria for this prospective, randomized, clinical study were as follows: (1) surgeries performed by one surgeon; (2) primary central PK; (3) keratoconus (KC) or Fuchs' dystrophy (FUCHS); (4) no previous intraocular surgery; (5) graft oversize, 0.1 mm; and (6) 16-bite double-running suture. Read More

Cornea 2019 May;38(5):553-558

Cornea, External Disorders and Refractive Surgery Department, Fondation A. de Rothschild, Paris, France.

Purpose: To describe the functional outcome, postoperative complications, and complication management of Descemet's membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) in corneal decompensation secondary to Herpes simplex eye disease (HED).

Methods: This retrospective interventional case series included 17 eyes that received DMEK for endothelial decompensation secondary to HED. Complete ophthalmological examination, including corrected-distance visual acuity (CDVA), anterior segment slit-lamp, and optical coherence tomography assessment, were performed preoperatively and postoperatively at regular follow-up intervals. Read More

Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2019 Feb;60(2):779-786

Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Japan.

Purpose: CTG trinucleotide repeat (TNR) expansion is frequently found in transcription factor 4 (TCF4) in Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD), though the effect of TNR expansion on FECD pathophysiology remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of TNR expansion on TCF4 expression in corneal endothelium of patients with FECD.

Methods: Peripheral blood DNA and Descemet membrane with corneal endothelium were obtained from 203 German patients with FECD. Read More

Ophthalmology 2019 Mar;126(3):e21-e22

Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India. Electronic address:

Ophthalmology 2019 Feb 18. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Verdier Eye Center, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Purpose: To determine whether preoperative endothelial cell density (ECD) and postoperative ECD after Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) are associated with late endothelial graft failure (LEGF) in the Cornea Preservation Time Study (CPTS).

Design: Cohort study within a multicenter, randomized clinical trial.

Participants: A total of 1007 individuals (1223 study eyes), mean age 70 years, undergoing DSAEK for Fuchs' dystrophy (94% of eyes) or pseudophakic or aphakic corneal edema (PACE) (6% of eyes) and followed for up to 5 years. Read More

Ophthalmology 2019 Feb 16. Epub 2019 Feb 16.

Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon. Electronic address:

Purpose: To compare corneal higher-order aberrations (HOA) after ultrathin Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) and Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK).

Design: Patient- and outcome-masked randomized controlled clinical trial.

Participants: Patients with damaged or diseased endothelium from Fuchs endothelial dystrophy or pseudophakic bullous keratopathy who were good candidates for DMEK or ultrathin DSAEK. Read More

Cornea 2019 May;38(5):632-634

Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.

Purpose: To describe the first reported case of Mycobacterium chelonae-related interface keratitis after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK), successfully treated with DMEK exchange.

Methods: A case of donor-related DMEK interface keratitis, treated with medical therapy and DMEK exchange, was studied retrospectively.

Results: A patient with Fuchs endothelial dystrophy developed infectious interface keratitis after DMEK. Read More

Genet Med 2019 Feb 8. Epub 2019 Feb 8.

UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK.

Purpose: To demonstrate the utility of an amplification-free long-read sequencing method to characterize the Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD)-associated intronic TCF4 triplet repeat (CTG18.1).

Methods: We applied an amplification-free method, utilizing the CRISPR/Cas9 system, in combination with PacBio single-molecule real-time (SMRT) long-read sequencing, to study CTG18. Read More

J Med Case Rep 2019 Feb 6;13(1):31. Epub 2019 Feb 6.

Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.

Background: We report the first histopathologically proven occurrence of a retrocorneal membrane after Descemet's membrane endothelial keratoplasty.

Case Presentation: A white Caucasian 76-year-old woman received penetrating keratoplasty on her right eye 2 years after Descemet's membrane endothelial keratoplasty surgery with combined cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation for Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy due to an allograft rejection with ensuing graft failure. Her preoperative vision was counting fingers (20/2000) caused by immunological debris, corneal edema, and secondary membrane formation. Read More

Cornea 2019 May;38(5):529-534

Division of Ophthalmology, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Glenview, IL.

Purpose: Fuchs corneal dystrophy (FD) is a common cause of endothelial keratoplasty. Recently, a series of FD cases treated with Descemet stripping only (DSO) demonstrated recovery of the central endothelium without transplantation of donor cells. Ripasudil, a rho kinase inhibitor, has been shown to promote corneal endothelial wound healing in animal models. Read More

Ophthalmology 2019 Feb;126(2):205-206

PLoS One 2019 25;14(1):e0210996. Epub 2019 Jan 25.

Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore.

Purpose: To determine if CTG18.1 TNR expansion length prognosticates the clinical progression of Fuchs' Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy (FECD).

Methods: This was a prospective cohort study. Read More

Cornea 2019 May;38(5):535-541

Cornea Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital. Madrid, Spain.

Purpose: To characterize pachymetric, keratometric, and surface elevation parameters in pseudophakic eyes with Fuchs dystrophy that underwent Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) and to compare these characteristics with those in normal pseudophakic eyes.

Methods: Postoperative corneal tomography with a median follow-up of 20 months was evaluated using the Pentacam tomographer on 46 DMEK eyes. Results were compared with data from an age-matched cohort of 46 normal eyes. Read More

Nucleic Acid Ther 2019 Apr 24;29(2):73-81. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

1 Department of Pharmacology and Biochemistry, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas.

Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) leads to vision loss and is one of the most common inherited eye diseases. Corneal transplants are the only curative treatment available, and there is a major unmet need for treatments that are less invasive and independent of donor tissue. Most cases of FECD are associated with an expanded CUG repeat within the intronic region of TCF4 and the mutant RNA has been implicated as the cause of the disease. Read More

Cornea 2019 Apr;38(4):409-412

Division of Cornea and Refractive Surgery, Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Eye Center, Durham, NC.

Purpose: To evaluate whether lens status influences clinical outcomes of Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) in patients who underwent DMEK in phakia, pseudophakia, or combined with cataract surgery (triple).

Methods: A retrospective review of 139 eyes (107 patients) with symptomatic Fuchs' dystrophy or secondary corneal edema was performed. Patients were divided into 3 groups: 1) DMEK + cataract surgery, 2) DMEK in pseudophakia, and 3) DMEK in phakia. Read More

Curr Pharm Des 2018 ;24(40):4726-4741

Chronic Diseases Research Unit, Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Naresuan University, 99 Moo 9 Tambon Tha Pho, Muang Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand.

Background: Oxidative stress is caused by free radicals or oxidant productions, including lipid peroxidation, protein modification, DNA damage and apoptosis or cell death and results in cellular degeneration and neurodegeneration from damage to macromolecules.

Results: Accumulation of the DNA damage (8HOdG) products and the end products of LPO (including aldehyde, diene, triene conjugates and Schiff's bases) were noted in the research studies. Significantly higher levels of these products in comparison with the controls were observed. Read More

Mol Diagn Ther 2019 02;23(1):97-112

Department of Ophthalmology, New Zealand National Eye Centre, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand.

Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is a common disease resulting from corneal endothelial cell dysfunction. It is inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion with incomplete penetrance, and with a female bias. Approximately half of cases occur sporadically, and the remainder are familial. Read More

Exp Eye Res 2019 03 28;180:174-183. Epub 2018 Dec 28.

Eye Hospital, First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, 23 Youzheng Street, Harbin, 150001, China. Electronic address:

Fuchs endothelial dystrophy (FED) and late cornea allograft failure of cornea transplantation are associated with human corneal endothelial cells (HCEC) senescence. Kojic acid has various functions, however, its anti-senescence effect has never been identified. In this study, we investigated the anti-senescence effect of kojic acid on HCEC. Read More

Am J Ophthalmol 2019 Mar 19;199:258-259. Epub 2018 Dec 19.

Rochester, Minnesota, USA.

Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2018 Dec 22. Epub 2018 Dec 22.

Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.

Cornea 2019 Mar;38(3):280-284

Department of Ophthalmology, Rothschild Foundation, Paris, France.

Purpose: To demonstrate the feasibility of Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) performed after previous penetrating keratoplasty (PK) failure and to describe primary outcomes.

Methods: Twenty-eight eyes of 28 patients who underwent DMEK after primary PK failure between January 2013 and November 2017 were included in this single-center retrospective study. Best spectacle-corrected visual acuity, endothelial cell density, and the recipient's central corneal thickness were recorded preoperatively and at 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery. Read More

Indian J Ophthalmol 2019 Jan;67(1):148-150

Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Texas Medical Branch College of Medicine, Galveston; Department of Ophthalmology, Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston; Department of Ophthalmology, Houston Methodist Eye Associates, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX; Department of Ophthalmology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.

A 75-year-old male with a right eye history of chronic dry eye syndrome, glaucoma status post tube shunt, and Fuchs dystrophy status post Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty followed by penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) presented with a 2.7 × 4.2 mm corneal ulcer, culture positive for Shewanella algae and Klebsiella oxytoca. Read More

Indian J Ophthalmol 2019 Jan;67(1):118-119

Ophthalmic Pathology Laboratory, L. V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.

J BUON 2018 Sep-Oct;23(5):1563-1568

Department of History of Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.

Born in Vienna, in mid 19th century, Ernst Fuchs became an innovative ophthalmologist and is currently considered as the father of modern ophthalmology. Conditions like heterochromic uveitis and endothelial dystrophy were discovered by Fuchs and a series of ocular diseases are named after him. His work dealing with eye pathology, entitled: "Textbook of Ophthalmology", became known as the masterpiece of the 19th century ophthalmology. Read More

Ther Adv Ophthalmol 2018 Jan-Dec;10:2515841418815802. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

Ophthalmic Research Center, Labbafinejad Medical Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 16666, Iran.

A transparent cornea is essential for the formation of a clear image on the retina. The human cornea is arranged into well-organized layers, and each layer plays a significant role in maintaining the transparency and viability of the tissue. The endothelium has both barrier and pump functions, which are important for the maintenance of corneal clarity. Read More

Exp Eye Res 2019 03 14;180:86-91. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

School of Optometry, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, USA. Electronic address:

SLC4A11 mutations are associated with Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD), congenital hereditary endothelial dystrophy (CHED) and Harboyan syndrome (endothelial dystrophy with auditory deficiency). Mice with genetically ablated Slc4a11 recapitulate CHED, exhibiting significant corneal edema and altered endothelial morphology. We recently demonstrated that SLC4A11 functions as an NH sensitive, electrogenic H transporter. Read More

Eye (Lond) 2019 Apr 5;33(4):653-658. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Ophthalmology, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva, Israel.

Purpose: To assess Descemet's membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) without performing a peripheral iridotomy (PI) prior to or during surgery ("PI-less DMEK").

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study included consecutive patients that underwent PI-less DMEK by a single surgeon (E.L) between February 2016 and February 2017 at the Rabin Medical Center, a Tertiary Hospital. Read More

Antioxidants (Basel) 2018 Dec 4;7(12). Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell group, Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI), Singapore 169856, Singapore.

The inner layer of the cornea, the corneal endothelium, is post-mitotic and unable to regenerate if damaged. The corneal endothelium is one of the most transplanted tissues in the body. Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is the leading indication for corneal endothelial transplantation. Read More

Can J Ophthalmol 2018 Dec 9;53(6):580-587. Epub 2018 May 9.

Keenan Research Centre at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ont; Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.. Electronic address:

Objective: To assess trends in surgical procedures and indications for all corneal transplants performed at the University of Toronto.

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study.

Participants: One thousand one hundred and four consecutive corneal transplants performed at the Kensington Eye Institute (KEI). Read More

Am J Ophthalmol 2019 Mar 28;199:150-158. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Netherlands Institute for Innovative Ocular Surgery (NIIOS), Rotterdam, Netherlands; Melles Cornea Clinic Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands; Amnitrans EyeBank Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands; NIIOS-USA, San Diego, California, USA. Electronic address:

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility and clinical outcomes of Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) in eyes with a glaucoma drainage device (GDD).

Design: Retrospective, interventional case series.

Methods: Clinical outcomes of 23 DMEK procedures for bullous keratopathy (52%), failed previous transplant (39%), or Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (9%) in 20 eyes (19 patients) with a GDD were retrospectively analyzed at 2 tertiary referral centers. Read More

PLoS One 2018 29;13(11):e0207891. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

Department of Surgical Sciences, Eye Clinic, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of 3D anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) for the detection of corneal endothelial features in patients with Fuchs' Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy (FECD).

Methods: Twenty patients with clinical diagnosis of FECD (group A), and 20 control subjects (group B) were enrolled. In all patients a complete ophthalmological examination was performed, including best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), slit lamp examination for subjective grading of FECD and corneal endothelial specular microscopy. Read More

Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2018 Nov;59(13):5627-5632

Laboratory for Ultrasonic Nondestructive Evaluation "LUNE", UMI Georgia Tech-CNRS 2958, Metz, France.

Purpose: To describe the application of scanning acoustic microscopy in the GHz-range (GHz-SAM) for qualitative imaging and quantitative characterization of the micromechanical properties of the Descemet's membrane and endothelial cells of cornea tissue.

Methods: Investigated were samples of a normal tissue and a tissue with Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy (FECD, cornea Guttata). Descemet's membranes were fixed on glass substrates and imaged utilizing a focused acoustic lens operating at a center frequency of 1 GHz. Read More

Ophthalmologe 2019 Mar;116(3):228-235

Zentrum für Augenheilkunde, Universität zu Köln, Kerpenerstr. 62, 50924, Köln, Deutschland.

Background: Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) has become the standard surgical treatment for Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) in Germany. In addition to classical FECD, there are endothelial disorders amenable to DMEK associated with complex changes in the anterior segment of the eye, such as anterior synechia of the iris, larger iris defects, after glaucoma surgery, after vitrectomy and after trauma.

Objective: This article provides an overview of the possibilities to treat patients with complex anterior segment situations in the presence of corneal endothelial decompensation with DMEK. Read More

Exp Eye Res 2019 03 22;180:18-22. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, United States; Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, United States. Electronic address:

Early-onset Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) has been associated with nonsynonymous mutations in collagen VIII α2 (COL8A2), a key extracellular matrix (ECM) protein in Descemet's membrane (DM). Two knock-in strains of mice have been generated to each express a mutant COL8A2 protein (Col8a2 and Col8a2) that recapitulate the clinical phenotype of early-onset FECD including endothelial cell loss, cellular polymegathism and pleomorphism, and guttae. Due to abnormalities in ECM protein composition and structure in FECD, the stiffness of DM in Col8a2 knock-in mice and wildtype (WT) controls was measured using atomic force microscopy at 5 and 10 months of age, coinciding with the onset of FECD phenotypic abnormalities. Read More

J Fr Ophtalmol 2018 Dec 14;41(10):993-994. Epub 2018 Nov 14.

Service d'ophtalmologie B, hôpital des spécialités, CHU de Rabat, quartier Souissi, 6220 Rabat, Morocco.

Exp Eye Res 2019 02 13;179:188-192. Epub 2018 Nov 13.

Department of General Ophthalmology, Medical University of Lublin, Chmielna 1, 20-079, Lublin, Poland; Mossakowski Medical Research Centre Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address:

We provide the evidence for G protein-coupled receptor 35 (GPR35) presence and distribution in the human cornea. The initial data on GPR35 gene expression were retrieved from microarray repositories and were further confirmed by western blotting and immunohistochemical analysis. Immunoblotting suggested that GPR35 exists predominantly as a dimer in corneal tissue. Read More

Cornea 2019 Feb;38(2):252-255

Department of Ophthalmology, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva, Israel.

Purpose: To describe the ghost Descemet's membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) technique that allows for real-time evaluation of DMEK graft orientation, location, and folding status within the anterior chamber, by simple observation at the surgical microscope.

Methods: This is a retrospective case series done in a university hospital. The study included 10 patients who underwent ghost DMEK surgery because of corneal endothelial insufficiency for Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy (N = 5), pseudophakic bullous keratopathy (N = 2), and failed previous posterior lamellar keratoplasty (N = 3). Read More

JAMA Ophthalmol 2018 Oct 26. Epub 2018 Oct 26.

Verdier Eye Center, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Importance: Determining factors associated with endothelial cell loss after Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) could improve long-term graft survival.

Objective: To evaluate the associations of donor, recipient, and operative factors with endothelial cell density (ECD) 3 years after DSAEK in the Cornea Preservation Time Study.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cohort study was a secondary analysis of data collected in a multicenter, double-masked, randomized clinical trial. Read More