Living with Meesmann corneal dystrophy
An inherited eye condition with tiny cysts in the clear front surface of the eye, causing irritation later in life.
Understanding Meesmann corneal dystrophy
Cysts can appear in the first year of life, usually in both eyes, and they increase over time. They usually cause no symptoms until late adolescence or adulthood, when they break open and irritate the eye. Symptoms may include light sensitivity, eyelid twitching, extra tears, a feeling of something in the eye, and trouble wearing contact lenses.
Signs & symptoms
GARD doesn't list a separate symptom list, but its summary describes these:
- Sensitivity to light
- Eyelid twitching
- Extra tears
- Feeling of something in the eye
- Trouble wearing contact lenses
- Temporary blurred vision
Not everyone has every symptom. GARD's list comes from the Human Phenotype Ontology.
Diagnosis
- 1Talk with your doctor
Share the symptoms you've noticed, when they started and your family health history. Notes and photos can help.
- 2See a specialist
Specialists who may be involved include eye disease specialists and genetic specialists.
- 3Ask which tests can help
Your care team will decide which exams and tests can confirm the diagnosis.
Care & treatment
- Care team
- Eye disease specialists (ophthalmologists); Genetic specialists (geneticists)
- Expert care
- Ask about multidisciplinary care centers for rare conditions
- Treatment
- GARD doesn't list specific treatments for this condition. Your care team will tailor care to your symptoms.
- Research
- Clinical trials and observational studies may be options. See the research section below.
General information, not medical advice. Your care team makes the decisions.
Everyday life
Living with a rare condition is easier with support.
- Connect with Corneal Dystrophy Foundation
- Keep notes on symptoms, changes and questions for appointments
- Ask about patient registries that help research
- Look into financial aid and travel resources for care visits
Quick facts
Changes in genes (also called variants) cause this condition. It is inherited in an autosomal dominant way, so a change in one copy of the gene can be enough.
Also known as: juvenile epithelial corneal dystrophy; juvenile epithelial of meesmann corneal dystrophy; juvenile hereditary epithelial dystrophy; juvenile hereditary epithelial dystrophy of meesmann; mecd; meesman's corneal dystrophy
Patient organizations
- Corneal Dystrophy FoundationMeesmann corneal dystrophy · United States
You are more than your diagnosis
Perspectives from people navigating life with Meesmann corneal dystrophy.
Explore research for Meesmann corneal dystrophy
Explore actively recruiting Meesmann corneal dystrophy studies with HealthSpark.
Find actively recruiting studies for Meesmann corneal dystrophy with HealthSpark. Share your city to explore research near you.
- Recruiting studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
- Share your city to look for research near you
- Eligibility is confirmed by the study team
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Powered by HealthSpark, our AI chat helper · Study information from ClinicalTrials.gov · Eligibility is confirmed by the study team.
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