To date, Fuchs dystrophy has been largely treated by corneal transplant. Kathryn A. Colby, MD, PhD, chair and the Elisabeth J. Cohen, MD, Professor of Ophthalmology in the Department of Ophthalmology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, notes that up to 4 percent of the U.S. population can be affected by this disease of the cornea in its early form, and it is the most common reason for corneal transplants.

The Ophthalmology Times speaks with Dr. Colby, who is also director of the NYU Langone Eye Center, to learn more about her role in the Descemet stripping only technique to restore corneal clarity without the need for corneal transplant.

“The procedure itself, Descemet stripping, is actually well within the skill set of anyone who does endothelial keratoplasty,” Dr. Colby says. “Normally, with an endothelial keratoplasty we remove about 8, maybe 8.5 mm, of endothelium, and here you’re just removing the center 4 or perhaps 5 mm.”

Watch more from the Ophthalmology Times.