Aqueous amino acid levels in Fuchs' corneal dystrophy.

Eight patients with Fuchs' corneal dystrophy and 11 matched senile cataract patients were examined at the time of surgery for aqueous humor amino acid levels. The cataract patients had amino acid levels that did not differ significantly from control values. The anterior chamber concentrations of threonine, glutamine, and arginine were found to be significantly increased in the patients with Fuchs' corneal dystrophy. Asparagine, phosphoserine, and phosphoethanolamine were found to be significantly decreased in patients with Fuchs' dystrophy.