Overview
Corneal dystrophy is a group of rare inherited eye conditions that affect the cornea — the clear, dome-shaped front surface of your eye. Instead of staying clear, the cornea gradually develops abnormal deposits or changes in its structure, which can cloud vision over time. There are more than 20 different types of corneal dystrophy, each affecting a different layer of the cornea and caused by different gene changes. Some of the most well-known types include Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy, lattice corneal dystrophy, granular corneal dystrophy, and macular corneal dystrophy. Symptoms vary depending on the type but often include blurry or hazy vision, sensitivity to light, eye pain or discomfort, and a feeling that something is in your eye. Some people have very mild symptoms for many years, while others experience significant vision loss earlier in life. Most types are slowly progressive, meaning they get worse gradually over time. Treatment depends on the type and severity. Mild cases may only need lubricating eye drops or special contact lenses to manage discomfort. When vision loss becomes significant, corneal transplant surgery (keratoplasty) is often very effective and can restore clear vision. Newer, more targeted surgical techniques like DSAEK and DMEK have improved outcomes for certain types, especially Fuchs dystrophy. There is currently no medication that can stop or reverse the underlying disease process.
Key symptoms:
Blurry or hazy visionSensitivity to bright light (photophobia)Eye pain or discomfortA gritty or sandy feeling in the eyeGlare or halos around lights, especially at nightFrequent need to blinkWatery eyesDifficulty seeing in low lightRecurrent painful erosions on the surface of the eyeGradual worsening of vision over timeSwelling of the cornea (corneal edema)Cloudy or milky appearance of the cornea
Variable
Can be inherited in different ways depending on the underlying gene
Variable
Can begin at different ages, from infancy through adulthood
FDA & Trial Timeline
10 eventsUniversitair Ziekenhuis Brussel — NA
Case Western Reserve University — NA
University Hospital Heidelberg — NA
Design Therapeutics, Inc. — PHASE2
Singapore Eye Research Institute — PHASE3
University of Cologne — NA
Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University
University of Miami — NA
Data sourced from FDA regulatory filings and ClinicalTrials.gov. Updated periodically.
Treatments
No FDA-approved treatments are currently listed for Corneal dystrophy.
12 clinical trialsare actively recruiting — trials can provide access to cutting-edge therapies.
View clinical trials →Treatment Centers
8 centersBaylor College of Medicine Rare Disease Center ↗
Baylor College of Medicine
📍 Houston, TX
🏥 NORDStanford Medicine Rare Disease Center ↗
Stanford Medicine
📍 Stanford, CA
🔬 UDNNIH Clinical Center Undiagnosed Diseases Program ↗
National Institutes of Health
📍 Bethesda, MD
🔬 UDNUCLA UDN Clinical Site ↗
UCLA Health
📍 Los Angeles, CA
🔬 UDNBaylor College of Medicine UDN Clinical Site ↗
Baylor College of Medicine
📍 Houston, TX
🔬 UDNHarvard/MGH UDN Clinical Site ↗
Massachusetts General Hospital
📍 Boston, MA
🏥 NORDMayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine ↗
Mayo Clinic
📍 Rochester, MN
👤 Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine
🏥 NORDUCLA Rare Disease Day Program ↗
UCLA Health
📍 Los Angeles, CA
Travel Grants
No travel grants are currently matched to Corneal dystrophy.
Community
No community posts yet. Be the first to share your experience with Corneal dystrophy.
Start the conversation →Latest news about Corneal dystrophy
Disease timeline:
New recruiting trial: Optical Coherence Tomography Guided Transepithelial Phototherapeutic Keratectomy
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Corneal dystrophy
New recruiting trial: SUCCESS Score Validation in Fuchs Dystrophy
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Corneal dystrophy
New recruiting trial: Endothelial Side Up Inverted Femtosecond Laser Assisted DSAEK
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Corneal dystrophy
New recruiting trial: DT-168 in Keratoplasty Patients With Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Corneal dystrophy
New recruiting trial: Comparison of Outcomes Between Femtosecond Laser-Assisted and Conventional Phacoemulsification in Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy Patients With Cataracts
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Corneal dystrophy
New recruiting trial: Plasma Rich in Growth Factors in Corneal Endothelial Transplantation
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Corneal dystrophy
New recruiting trial: The OPTIMISE Study
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Corneal dystrophy
New recruiting trial: Targeting Reactive Oxygen Species Production as a Novel Therapeutic in Fuch's Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Corneal dystrophy
New recruiting trial: Microsurgical Robot-assisted Corneal Transplant
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Corneal dystrophy
New recruiting trial: Prognosis of Posterior Lamellar Keratoplasty, an Observational Cohort Study
A new clinical trial is recruiting patients for Corneal dystrophy
Caregiver Resources
NORD Caregiver Resources
Support, advocacy, and financial assistance for caregivers of rare disease patients.
Mental Health Support
Rare disease caregiving can be isolating. Connect with counseling and peer support.
Family & Caregiver Grants
Financial assistance programs specifically for caregivers of rare disease patients.
Social Security Disability
Learn how rare disease patients may qualify for SSDI/SSI benefits.
Questions for your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment
- Q1.Which specific type of corneal dystrophy do I have, and how does that affect my treatment options?,Should I have genetic testing, and what does it mean for my family members?,How quickly is my condition likely to progress, and what signs should prompt me to come back sooner?,At what point would you recommend corneal transplant surgery, and which technique would be best for my type?,Are there any activities or environmental factors I should avoid to protect my corneas?,Is there any clinical trial or research study I might be eligible for?,What can I do to manage pain or discomfort from corneal erosions at home?
Common questions about Corneal dystrophy
What is Corneal dystrophy?
Corneal dystrophy is a group of rare inherited eye conditions that affect the cornea — the clear, dome-shaped front surface of your eye. Instead of staying clear, the cornea gradually develops abnormal deposits or changes in its structure, which can cloud vision over time. There are more than 20 different types of corneal dystrophy, each affecting a different layer of the cornea and caused by different gene changes. Some of the most well-known types include Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy, lattice corneal dystrophy, granular corneal dystrophy, and macular corneal dystrophy. Symptoms vary
Are there clinical trials for Corneal dystrophy?
Yes — 12 recruiting clinical trials are currently listed for Corneal dystrophy on UniteRare. See the clinical trials section on this page for phase, sponsor, and site details sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov.
Which specialists treat Corneal dystrophy?
25 specialists and care centers treating Corneal dystrophy are listed on UniteRare, sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov principal investigators, published research, and the NPPES NPI registry.