What are the symptoms of epithelial basement membrane dystrophy?
Epithelial basement membrane dystrophy generally occurs in adults after the age of 40, and it can come as late as age 70. In this form of dystrophy, the basement membrane begins to become thick and irregular, so that the once-even layer of cells starts to buckle as the cells break apart and fall off the membrane. A magnified view of an affected membrane under a slit lamp will show an irregular pattern of cysts, ridges, and whirls. Ophthalmologists call the condition “map-dot-fingerprint dystrophy.” The breakdown of the basement membrane in epithelial cell dystrophy causes redness of the eye and discomfort that can range from moderate irritation to severe pain. Those symptoms generally are worse at the start of the day, because sleep does not permit the blinking that keeps the surface of the cornea lubricated with tears.
