The key difference between corneal dystrophy and degeneration is that corneal dystrophy is the building up of foreign material in one or more layers of the cornea due to genetic changes, while corneal degeneration is a change or gradual deterioration in the tissue of the cornea due to certain diseases or aging.
The cornea is the clear outer layer present at the front of the eye. It aids the eye to focus light so that people can see clearly. There are different conditions, such as injuries, allergies, keratitis, dry eye, corneal dystrophy, and corneal degeneration, that affect the cornea. Corneal dystrophy and degeneration are two different corneal conditions.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Corneal Dystrophy
3. What is Corneal Degeneration
4. Similarities – Corneal Dystrophy and Degeneration
5. Corneal Dystrophy vs Degeneration in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Corneal Dystrophy vs Degeneration
What is Corneal Dystrophy?
Corneal dystrophy is a condition due to the accumulation of crystalline deposits in the cornea. These deposits are white in colour and are made up of calcium, cholesterol, or fat. The location, size, shape, and density of these deposits vary from patient to patient and even eye to eye. There are more than 20 types of corneal dystrophies, each with different symptoms. This condition tends to run in families and often affects both eyes. Men and women are equally affected by this condition. Corneal dystrophy may happen even if people are in good health. Moreover, common symptoms of this condition may include cloudy or blurry vision, watery eyes, dry eyes, glare, sensitivity to bright light, pain in the eye, feeling of something stuck in the eye, and corneal erosions.
Figure 01: Corneal Dystrophy
Corneal dystrophy can be diagnosed through family history, eye examination by slit lamp test, blood works, and other tests such as thyroid test. Furthermore, corneal dystrophy can be treated through medications such as tacrolimus or cyclosporine and corneal transplant.
What is Corneal Degeneration?
Corneal degeneration is the alterations to the corneal structure due to a multitude of factors, such as certain diseases or aging. The most common diseases that cause corneal degeneration include rheumatoid arthritis, glaucoma, keratitis (corneal inflammation), syphilis, and Crohn’s disease. However, corneal degeneration is not due to genetic changes and does not run in the families. The symptoms of corneal degeneration may include calcium salt deposits building up in the cornea, severe vision loss or localized vision loss, blue nodules on the eye, extreme pain, and thinning of the cornea’s periphery.
Figure 02: Corneal Degeneration
Corneal degeneration can be diagnosed through a comprehensive dilated eye exam using a microscope with a bright light attached, fluorescein angiography, visual-field testing, and electroretinography. Furthermore, corneal degeneration can be treated through prescribed lubricating eye drops and corneal transplants.
What are the Similarities Between Corneal Dystrophy and Degeneration?
- Corneal dystrophy and degeneration are two different corneal conditions.
- Both corneal conditions may have similar symptoms, such as pain in the eye, vision changes, eye deposits, etc.
- Both corneal conditions can be diagnosed through an eye examination by a slit lamp test.
- They are treated through corneal transplantation.
What is the Difference Between Corneal Dystrophy and Degeneration?
Corneal dystrophy is due to the build-up of foreign material in one or more layers of the cornea due to genetic changes, while corneal degeneration is a change or gradual deterioration in the tissue of the cornea due to certain diseases or aging. Thus, this is the key difference between corneal dystrophy and degeneration. Furthermore, corneal dystrophy tends to run in families, while corneal degeneration does not run in families.
The infographic below presents the differences between corneal dystrophy and degeneration in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Corneal Dystrophy vs Degeneration
Corneal disease is a serious eye condition that can result in clouding, distortion, and scarring, which eventually leads to eye blindness. Corneal dystrophy and degeneration are two different corneal conditions. Corneal dystrophy causes an accumulation of crystalline deposits in the cornea due to genetic changes, while corneal degeneration causes alterations to the corneal structure or tissue due to a multitude of factors, such as certain diseases or aging. So, this summarizes the difference between corneal dystrophy and degeneration.
Reference:
1. “Corneal Dystrophy.” Statpearls – NCBI Bookshelf.
2.“Corneal Degeneration.” ScienceDirect.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Subepithelial mucinous corneal dystrophy 1” By Klintworth GK. – Corneal dystrophies (CC BY 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “The eye & I” By Lokendra Nath Roychoudhury – originally posted to Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia