Epidemiology of Corneal Dystrophy in Korea

Purpose: Information regarding corneal dystrophy among Koreans were examined according to the subtypes. Methods: Two hundred sixteen patients, 340 eyes, diagnosed as corneal dystrophy and followed by one ophthalmologist from the year 1993 to 2001 were include. The incidence of the disease, the progression level of visual impairment, differences between genders, treatment method, and rate of recurrence after the treatment were analyzed according to the location of the lesion. Results: Granular dystrophy was the most common type (103 eyes, 29.17%). There were 84 eyes (23.61%) with Fuchs dystrophy and 46 eyes (12.96%) with macular dystrophy. Macular dystrophy had the most rapid disease progression with 0.18 reduction in eyesight every year. There was a higher prevelance in female than male granular dystrophy (15.9/84.1%) and in Fuchs dystropy (23.5/76.5%). Keratoplasty was the most popular method of treatment in 45%. Conclusions: There was no difference of prevalence in between Koreans and Western people. The most common type of corneal dystrophy was granular dystrophy. Infrequent type of dystrophy tended to increase by virtue of the development in diagnotic medicine.