Granular Corneal Dystrophy Hits Home

As many of you may have read in last week’s edition of Saratoga Today, this community is coming together to assist a staff member’s sister to obtain corneal transplants to treat her from this debilitating eye disease. Dilyana Bell who resides in Saratoga Springs, has a 29-year-old sister who lives in Bulgaria and suffers from this disease. I decided to use this week’s column to provide some information on exactly what this disease is. The corneal opacities in this disorder are usually located in the anterior stroma of the central cornea, and consist of discrete grayish-white, irregular granules with sharp margins. The peripheral cornea and areas between the opacities remain clear. The opacities may be apparent in the first decade but vision remains good throughout childhood. The epithelial surface is usually smooth in children, but adults can develop irregularities. As the opacities enlarge and grow in number, the cornea becomes increasingly opaque and older patients experience considerable loss of vision. There is some variation in the number of opacities among individuals and considerable clinical heterogeneity occurs both within and between families. The appearance of the corneal deposits is said to be characteristic with eosinophilic deposits in the anterior stroma secondary to accumulations of mutant transforming growth factor beta induced protein. The number of the granular deposits change throughout life, influenced to some extent by episodes of recurrent corneal erosions and age of patients. Deposits become more annular and lattice-like, especially in the third decade and become more discoid by the fifth decade. Genetics There is a genetic component to this disease. In our situation, Dilyana’s father also had this disease and went blind from it prior to his passing. He was not able to obtain treatment. Treatment Advanced disease requires corneal transplants. Success rates are very high in the US. We are very fortunate in this country to have access to organ banks and corneal transplants are an obtainable reality. Dr. Robert Schultz and Albany Medical Center Hospital have teamed up to make this an affordable treatment option for Tatyana. My staff, many community members and friends are coming together to raise the funds to enable Tatyana to have her corneal transplants. We need $30,000 before Bulgaria will issue Tatyana a visa to travel to the United States. We have started a Go Fund Me and are holding a fundraiser at Gaffney’s, thanks to owner John Baker. Please join us on Saturday, November 5 from 1-5 p.m. Admission is $25 and Gaffney’s will provide appetizers. Saratoga Eagle has donated some beer kegs, and all proceeds from the beer sales will go towards Tatyana’s surgery expenses. We will have numerous silent auction items and raffles. Raffle tickets may also be purchased in advance for those unable to attend the event at Family Vision Care Center or give us a call to order, 518-584-6111.