5-Year Outcomes of Descemet Stripping Only in Fuchs Dystrophy

PURPOSE: To report the 5-year outcomes of the first reported case of bilateral Descemet stripping only (DSO) for Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) at our center. Visual, biomicroscopic, and confocal microscopic findings are described. METHODS: A retrospective case report. RESULTS: A 55-year-old woman with bilateral FECD was referred with decreased visual acuity and blurred vision that interrupted activities of daily living. She underwent sequential 4-mm DSO procedures 6 months apart, with early postoperative results previously reported. Subjective visual symptoms, visual acuity, and corneal edema were analyzed at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 2 years, 3 years, and 5 years postoperatively. Best corrected visual acuity of 0.0 (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) and corneal clearance were achieved in the third month after the procedure. These results have remained stable in the 5-year follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Early postoperative results from DSO surgery are encouraging, but questions remain regarding its longevity. Publication of longer-term outcomes such as this is necessary to establish the validity of this procedure as an intervention for FECD.