The condition is described well here at St Lukes. I have given a very brief description below. A research article is here.

The cornea is the front 'window' of the eye. It is clear, just like glass.

On the back surface of the cornea there is a single layer of cells, the 'endothelium'.

This endothelium contains a layer of cells that  'pump' fluid out of the cornea. (The fluid enters naturally.)

If you have this condition, this layer of cells becomes damages as you get older. The 'pump' system  stops working, and then cornea becomes thick and waterlogged with fluid.

This makes the cornea cloudy, like frosted glass, and you will have difficulty seeing. See the St Lukes. page for more details.

see a larger version, with photos

see photos/links

This is discussed here.   If cornea is very cloudy , you may need a corneal transplant if you want to see clearly again. The patient cornea is replaced in an operation with a donor cornea.

There are newer operations, where only one layer of the corneal needs transplanting. These new operations are being carefully researched.

There is now a 'patient group' for people in the UK with this condition, and the condition is becoming increasingly common.

• The UK  group, well worth joining, http://www.fuchs-dystrophy.org.uk/join.htm
• This is the US group: http://www.fuchs-dystrophy.com/publicinfo/index.html