Corneal Dystrophies

Corneal dystrophies (CD) are bilateral hereditary disorders of the cornea in which one or several parts of the cornea lose their transparency. As the dystrophy can start in different layers of the cornea, they are classified accordingly as epithelial dystrophies, stromal dystrophies and endothelial dystrophies. This volume includes a description of the new international IC3D classification of CD reflecting what we currently know of the clinical, pathological, and genetic aspects of these disorders. Further contributions give an insight into differential diagnostics and histology, which can confirm the diagnosis as for instance in granular CD type 2, as well as DNA analysis of CD providing additional information about the pathogenesis. Also, procedures such as the phototherapeutic keratectomy with the excimer laser, the new modalities of lamellar keratoplasty, and penetrating keratoplasty are described. This publication holds a wealth of new and topical information on CD for ophthalmologists and geneticists alike.