The cornea is the clear front window of the eye. It transmits light to the interior of the eye, allowing us to see clearly. Corneal diseases may be serious and lead to vision loss.

Symptoms of corneal disease include:

• Blurry vision
• Glare
• Sensitivity to light
• Contact lens intolerance
• Foreign body sensation
• Pain (some corneal disease can be extremely painful)

Common forms of corneal disease:

Keratoconus is a weakening and thinning of the central cornea that leads the cornea to develop a cone-shaped deformity. Progression can be rapid, gradual or intermittent. Keratoconus usually occurs in both eyes but can occur in only one eye.

Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy is a hereditary abnormality of the inner cell layer of the cornea called the endothelium. The purpose of this layer is to pump fluids out of the cornea, keeping it thin and crystal clear. When the endothelium is not healthy, fluids are not pumped out, and the cornea develops swelling, causing it to become cloudy and decrease vision.

Bullous keratopathy is a condition in which the cornea becomes permanently swollen. This occurs because the inner layer of the cornea _ the endothelium – has been damaged and no longer pumps fluids out of the tissue.