The top layer of tissue that covers the surface of your eye and helps focus light through your pupil is called the cornea. The buildup of excess fluid within the cornea can cause a condition called corneal dystrophy. Corneal dystrophy is a medical term used to describe over 20 different conditions that affect various regions of the cornea. Symptoms of corneal dystrophy vary depending upon the extent and location of corneal damage.
Eye Pain
Corneal dystrophy is typically an inherited (genetic) condition that develops most frequently during childhood. If you have corneal dystrophy, you can develop eye pain as a symptom of this condition. Patients commonly experience a gritty sensation within the eye due to excess fluid accumulation within the cornea. Small, fluid-filled blisters can appear on the surface of your eyes and can contribute to these painful symptoms. Pain within the eye can be mild to severe and may occur intermittently or persistently.
Blurred Vision
Excess fluid within the cornea due to corneal dystrophy can cause your vision to become blurred or hazy, explain health professionals at The Corneal Dystrophy Foundation. Such symptoms might limit the amount of light that is able to be passed through your cornea and pupil, making it difficult for you to visually perceive the objects around you. These symptoms may affect either one or both eyes. A patient who has corneal dystrophy can notice that symptoms of visual haziness become progressively worse as he gets older.
Lazy Eye
If a child is born with corneal dystrophy and experiences hazy vision from birth, she can develop a medical condition called amblyopia or lazy eye. This condition typically affects only one eye and causes the lazy eye to abnormally migrate back and forth. A lazy eye may not be in synch with the movement of your other eye, which might cause you to develop poor depth perception.
Light Sensitivity
You can experience increased light sensitivity if you have corneal dystrophy, explain doctors at The Mayo Clinic. Such symptoms can cause eye pain or irritation upon exposure to light.
Blindness
Severe corneal dystrophy can cause permanent vision loss (blindness) to occur in some patients. Irreversible fluid buildup within the cornea can prevent light from entering the eye, leading to vision loss. Such symptoms may affect one or both eyes and can significantly impact your daily life.
