Researchers led by Mark Greiner, MD, University of Iowa professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences, are using a five-year, $2.85 million grant from the National Eye Institute to develop a topical drug therapy designed to prevent vison loss caused by Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy.

Greiner and his research team, based at the Iowa Lions Eye Bank, are collaborating on the project with Aliasger Salem, PhD, UI professor of pharmacy and associate vice president for research, and Sara Thomasy, DVM, PhD, professor of comparative ophthalmology at University of California, Davis.

Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy is a common inherited eye disease that affects more than 4% of U.S. adults over age 40, over 6 million people. The disease gradually destroys cells in the cornea, the clear front part of the eye, leading to vision loss. Currently, the only treatment is cornea transplant surgery.

The new study builds on the team’s earlier discoveries about the causes of corneal cell death in Fuchs dystrophy. The researchers found that people with the condition have higher levels of reactive iron in their corneal cells compared to healthy people, and this excess iron leads to oxidative damage and a type of cell death called ferroptosis. They also showed that an antioxidant drug called ubiquinol can help prevent this type of cell death.

The goal of the new project is to create ubiquinol eye drops that can be used by patients to maintain healthy functioning corneal cells. The researchers hope these drops will improve the quality of life for people with Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy by reducing or preventing the need for corneal transplant surgery.  

“Identifying ubiquinol as a potential therapy for Fuchs dystrophy grew out of innovative problem solving as my team explored ways to maintain healthy corneas for transplantation,” says Greiner, who also is the Robert and Joell Professor of Corneal Research. “With this new funding, we will develop a stable, soluble form of ubiquinol that can be used in eye drops – a non-invasive approach that may prevent the progression of diseases like Fuchs dystrophy and reduce the need for corneal transplant surgery.”