April 11, 2007

Verdier Eye Center, PLC, a leading midwest eye care, diagnosis and surgical practice in Grand Rapids, MI, is one of a few select practices nationwide participating in the Fuchs' Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy (FECD) Genetics Multi-center Study.  Fuchs' Dystrophy is the most common inherited condition requiring corneal transplantation in the United States.  The FECD Genetics Multi-center Study will recruit approximately 500 families in an effort to identify the gene that causes Fuchs' Dystrophy.

If you or someone you know has FECD, we need your help.  We are particularly interested in finding participants who have had a corneal transplant for FECD and also have a brother(s) or sister(s) who is affected by the disease.  Other affected family members such as aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and parents may be encouraged to participate in the study.

The identification of the gene(s) that leads to FECD may allow development of new therapies to delay or prevent the onset of the disease.  It could also help in providing earlier diagnosis techniques and in counseling patients.  To find out more about the study, please contact Verdier Eye Center, PLC at 616-949-2001.