Clinical Study of Fuchs Corneal Endothelial Dystrophy Leading to Penetrating Keratoplasty: A 30-Year Experience

OBJECTIVE To review 30 years' clinical experience with Fuchs corneal endothelial dystrophy leading to penetrating keratoplasty (PK). METHODS We reviewed the clinical records of patients diagnosed histopathologically as having Fuchs corneal endothelial dystrophy who underwent PK at Duke University Medical Center between January 1, 1972, and December 31, 2001. This observational case series included 424 patients (546 eyes). RESULTS Women represented 77.6% of patients. Mean age at the time of PK for all patients was 69.2 years. Bilateral PK was required in 28.8% of patients, and the mean interval between the 2 PKs was 3.2 years. There was no difference with regard to sex in the likelihood of requiring bilateral PK (P = .59). Among 376 documented family histories, 13.6% were known to be positive for Fuchs dystrophy. Patients with a positive family history underwent PK a mean of 5 years earlier (P