2 days Ago By Caleb Amick The Herald Bulletin
ANDERSON — Cloudy vision could be caused by an array of things, some benign, some not. For 65-year-old Mike Dauss, it was the latter. An abnormality was discovered during an annual eye exam in 2007.
He was diagnosed with Fuchs’ dystrophy, a genetic disease in which the inner cells of the cornea, or “endothelium,” die. Those cells are responsible for controlling the amount of fluid in the cornea, which, if healthy, promotes clear, quality vision, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. The disease affects an estimated 7% of the world’s population, according to an article published in the Review of Ophthalmology in 2022.
Experts expect the number of cases to increase from 300 to 415 million by 2050 in people over the age of 30. Fuchs’ is a progressive disease that tends to worsen with time. Dauss’ disease was in the early stages at the time of his diagnosis and would be monitored annually.
About 13 years later, the disease had progressed to a point where Dauss could hardly perceive contrasting colors. This was especially problematic as Dauss is an avid golfer. His disease kept him from noticing the ball moving.
He had to rely on others to tell him where it went. “A soon as it would get in the horizon, the gray line of the sky, everything was gone,” he said. “I couldn’t see any contrast.
” The condition also affected his nighttime driving; he could not discern where the road ended. Around November 2022, Dauss’ doctor recommended that he undergo cornea transplant surgery, a procedure in which a donated cornea would be put into his eyes. He had the surgery in August 2023.
Dauss needed new, healthy inner layers for his cornea via a procedure known as a “endothelial keratoplasty” in which the faulty tissue is removed and the new tissue is implanted, held in place by an air bubble. “(Implanting the new tissue) was like laying down a rug,” Dauss recalled the surgeon saying. However, there would be no “rugs” if it were not for eye-tissue banks like the Indiana Lions Eye Bank, which was founded in the 1950s by members of the Lions Club.
Dauss found this apropos, since he is the president of the Anderson Lions Club and has been a member of the local club for more than 20 years. Dauss has a new outlook, thanks to his corrected vision. He rejoined his son on the golf course during the weekend of Labor Day.
The two had a wonderful time. “(This was) probably Dad’s worst game you’ve seen Dad play,” he remembered saying to his son. “But, on the other hand, Dad saw every bad shot.
” Because Fuchs’ dystrophy is a genetic disease, Dauss asked his children to keep a close eye on their vision, especially as they approach their 40s and 50s. That’s when symptoms start to show. He is also helping his wife, who was recently diagnosed with the disease.
She is in the early stages, he said..
