When the Clear Surface of Your Eye Isn’t So Clear
Your cornea is the clear, dome-shaped surface at the front of your eye. When it’s healthy, light passes through it clearly and comfortably.
But when the cornea becomes swollen, cloudy, irritated, or develops abnormal tissue, your vision can change.
You may notice blurry or hazy vision, glare around lights, irritation, redness, or simply feel like you’re looking through a foggy window.
At Holmdel Eye Center, Dr. Ahmed Abdelhady evaluates and treats a range of corneal conditions, including Fuchs’ dystrophy, corneal swelling, and pterygium, with treatment tailored to the cause and severity of your symptoms.
What Does the Cornea Do?
The cornea may look simple, but it plays a major role in how clearly you see.
Along with protecting the inside of your eye, the cornea helps focus light as it enters. To do that effectively, it needs to remain smooth, healthy, and transparent.
When the cornea swells or its surface becomes irregular, light can no longer pass through the eye as cleanly.
Because several corneal conditions can cause similar symptoms, an eye examination is important for determining what’s actually happening.
The result may be:
- Blurry or hazy vision
- Glare or halos around lights
- Sensitivity to light
- Eye discomfort or irritation
- Redness
- Fluctuating vision
- Difficulty seeing clearly in certain lighting
Fuchs’ Dystrophy & Corneal Swelling
Why Is My Vision So Hazy in the Morning?
If your vision seems especially cloudy when you first wake up and then gradually improves as the day goes on, your cornea may be holding onto too much fluid.
One possible cause is Fuchs’ endothelial corneal dystrophy, commonly called Fuchs’ dystrophy.
The innermost layer of the cornea contains specialized cells called endothelial cells. Their job is to pump excess fluid out of the cornea and keep it clear.
With Fuchs’ dystrophy, these cells gradually decrease in number and become less effective.
As fluid accumulates, the cornea begins to swell.
What Does Fuchs’ Dystrophy Feel Like?
Early Fuchs’ dystrophy may cause very few symptoms.
As the condition progresses, you may notice:
- Hazy or blurry vision
- Vision that’s worse when you first wake up
- Glare around lights
- Halos, particularly when driving at night
- Increased sensitivity to light
- Fluctuating vision
- Eye discomfort or a gritty sensation
Morning symptoms are common because the eyes are closed overnight, which reduces evaporation from the corneal surface and allows additional fluid to accumulate.
As the disease progresses, the cornea may remain swollen for longer periods and vision may stay blurry throughout more of the day.
How Is Fuchs’ Dystrophy Treated?
Treatment depends on how much the condition is affecting your cornea and your vision.
Early Fuchs’ dystrophy may simply need to be monitored.
When corneal swelling begins causing symptoms, certain eye drops or ointments may be recommended to help draw excess fluid from the cornea and temporarily improve clarity.
As Fuchs’ progresses, however, these treatments may no longer provide enough relief.
For patients with more advanced corneal swelling and vision loss, a corneal transplant may be recommended to replace the unhealthy endothelial cells with healthy donor tissue.
Modern corneal transplantation can often replace only the affected inner layer of the cornea rather than the entire cornea.
Dr. Abdelhady will help you understand where your condition falls on that spectrum and whether monitoring, medical treatment, or surgery is appropriate.
Fuchs’ Dystrophy and Cataracts
Fuchs’ dystrophy and cataracts can occur at the same time, particularly as we get older.
When they do, determining what’s responsible for your blurry vision becomes especially important.
Cataract
A cataract causes the natural lens inside the eye to become cloudy.
Fuchs’ Dystrophy
Fuchs’ dystrophy causes the cornea at the front of the eye to become swollen and hazy.
Sometimes both are contributing.
If you have Fuchs’ dystrophy and need cataract surgery, careful evaluation of the cornea helps Dr. Abdelhady determine how well it is functioning and how cataract surgery should be approached.
For some patients, cataract surgery alone may be appropriate. Others may eventually need treatment for the cornea as well.
The goal is to understand the health of the entire eye before deciding on surgery.
Pterygium
What Is That Growth on My Eye?
A pterygium is a noncancerous growth of tissue that develops on the white portion of the eye and extends toward the cornea.
You may have heard it called “surfer’s eye” because long-term exposure to sunlight, wind, dust, and dry environments is associated with its development.
A small pterygium may simply look like a raised or fleshy area near the colored part of the eye.
As it grows, however, it can become irritated or begin affecting the shape of the cornea and your vision.
Does a Pterygium Need to Be Removed?
Not necessarily.
If a pterygium is small and isn’t bothering you, Dr. Abdelhady may simply monitor it.
Lubricating eye drops or other treatments may help when dryness and inflammation cause redness or irritation.
The decision to remove a pterygium depends on its size, location, symptoms, and how it is changing over time.
Surgery may be considered when a pterygium:
- Continues to grow
- Causes persistent redness or irritation
- Changes the shape of the cornea
- Causes astigmatism
- Begins interfering with vision
- Creates significant cosmetic concerns
Protecting Your Corneas
You can’t prevent every corneal condition, particularly inherited conditions such as Fuchs’ dystrophy.
But you can take steps to protect the surface of your eyes.
Wearing quality sunglasses with UV protection can help reduce long-term ultraviolet exposure associated with pterygium. Protective eyewear is also important when working around dust, debris, chemicals, or anything that could injure the eye.
And if you already have a diagnosed corneal condition, keeping up with your recommended examinations allows Dr. Abdelhady to watch for changes before they significantly affect your vision.
Corneal Care Focused on Clearer Vision
Corneal conditions can range from mild surface irritation to changes that significantly interfere with your vision.
The first step is understanding exactly what is happening.
Dr. Ahmed Abdelhady provides evaluation and treatment for corneal disease, including Fuchs’ dystrophy, corneal swelling, and pterygium.
We’ll help you understand what’s causing your symptoms, whether the condition is changing, and which treatment options make sense for your eyes.
And if your corneal disease progresses to the point that surgery is appropriate, we’ll help you understand what comes next.
Corneal Conditions FAQs
Is Fuchs’ dystrophy hereditary?
Fuchs’ dystrophy can run in families, although having a family member with the condition doesn’t necessarily mean you will develop significant corneal disease. If you have a family history of Fuchs’, mention it during your eye examination.
Why is my vision worse in the morning with Fuchs’ dystrophy?
When your eyes are closed overnight, less moisture evaporates from the surface of the cornea. In an eye with Fuchs’ dystrophy, excess fluid isn’t pumped out efficiently, which can cause increased swelling and hazy vision when you first wake up.
Does everyone with Fuchs’ dystrophy need a corneal transplant?
No. Many patients with mild Fuchs’ dystrophy can be monitored for years without surgery. A transplant is generally considered when corneal swelling significantly affects vision or comfort and less invasive treatments are no longer sufficient.
Is a pterygium cancerous?
A typical pterygium is a benign, noncancerous growth. However, any new or changing growth on the surface of the eye should be evaluated to confirm the diagnosis.
Can a pterygium affect my vision?
Yes. As a pterygium grows onto the cornea, it can change the cornea’s shape, cause astigmatism, or eventually interfere with the visual axis.
Can a pterygium come back after surgery?
A pterygium can recur after removal. Modern surgical techniques are designed to reduce the likelihood of recurrence, and protecting your eyes from UV exposure after surgery is also important.
Get a Clearer Picture of Your Corneal Health
If your vision has become hazy, your eyes are persistently irritated, or you’ve noticed a growth on the surface of your eye, an examination can help determine what’s causing it.
Dr. Abdelhady can evaluate your cornea and help you understand whether you simply need monitoring or whether treatment could improve your comfort and vision.