Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42057097›Full record

ArticleEye and vision (London, England)2026

Corneal backscatter as a biomarker for edema severity in Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy: a cross-sectional study.

Maximilian Friedrich, Hyeck-Soo Son, Lasha-Giorgi Turava, Maximilian Hammer, Louise Blöck, Lizaveta Chychko, Timur Mert Yildirim, Gerd Uwe Auffarth, Victor Aristide Augustin

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In one paragraph

Article in Eye and vision (London, England), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Maximilian FriedrichDepartment of Ophthalmology, David J. Apple International Laboratory for Ocular Pathology and International Vision Correction Research Centre (IVCRC), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Hyeck-Soo SonDepartment of Ophthalmology, David J. Apple International Laboratory for Ocular Pathology and International Vision Correction Research Centre (IVCRC), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Lasha-Giorgi TuravaDepartment of Ophthalmology, David J. Apple International Laboratory for Ocular Pathology and International Vision Correction Research Centre (IVCRC), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Maximilian HammerDepartment of Ophthalmology, David J. Apple International Laboratory for Ocular Pathology and International Vision Correction Research Centre (IVCRC), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Louise BlöckDepartment of Ophthalmology, David J. Apple International Laboratory for Ocular Pathology and International Vision Correction Research Centre (IVCRC), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Lizaveta ChychkoDepartment of Ophthalmology, David J. Apple International Laboratory for Ocular Pathology and International Vision Correction Research Centre (IVCRC), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Timur Mert YildirimDepartment of Ophthalmology, David J. Apple International Laboratory for Ocular Pathology and International Vision Correction Research Centre (IVCRC), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Gerd Uwe AuffarthDepartment of Ophthalmology, David J. Apple International Laboratory for Ocular Pathology and International Vision Correction Research Centre (IVCRC), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Victor Aristide AugustinDepartment of Ophthalmology, David J. Apple International Laboratory for Ocular Pathology and International Vision Correction Research Centre (IVCRC), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany. Victor.Augustin@med.uni-heidelberg.de.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is characterized by progressive endothelial dysfunction and corneal edema. Reliable objective biomarkers for grading disease severity are currently evolving. Corneal backscatter may reflect edema-related changes in corneal transparency and could serve as an additional objective measure of FECD severity across different edema stages. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of corneal backscatter as a biomarker for severity of FECD.

methodsIn this retrospective, observational, single-center cross-sectional study, 99 eyes of 67 patients with FECD were divided into three groups depending on the presence of clinical, subclinical or no corneal edema. The corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) was obtained and Scheimpflug tomography was performed. Subclinical corneal edema was diagnosed if more than one of the following criteria were present in Scheimpflug tomography: loss of regular isopachs, displacement of the thinnest point of the cornea, and focal posterior corneal surface depression. Clinical corneal edema was diagnosed by slit-lamp biomicroscopy. The primary outcome was the difference in total corneal backscatter in the central 2-mm zone. Secondary analyses were the correlation of corneal backscatter to CDVA, tomographic parameters such as central corneal thickness (CCT) and thinnest corneal thickness (TCT), as well as their diagnostic accuracy and predictive potential to differentiate between edema severity.

resultsThe total central corneal backscatter was significantly higher among eyes with high edema severity (P < 0.05). Differences in corneal backscatter between subgroups diminished with increasing depth of corneal layer and towards the periphery. The anterior (Marginal R

conclusionsOur study corroborates that corneal backscatter values increase with increasing corneal edema stage and therefore present a potential adjunctive biomarker to assess FECD severity in addition to edema status and clinical gradings.

Indexed as

Corneal backscatterDensitometryEdema severityFuchs endothelial corneal dystrophyScheimpflug tomographySubclinical corneal edema

Identifiers

PMID42057097
PMCPMC13130732

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