Irregular astigmatism in patients with anterior membrane dystrophy (map-dot-fingerprint type).

Irregular astigmatism, the clinical manifestation of corneal warpage, was evaluated as a cause of decreased visual acuity in 24 patients with anterior membrane dystrophy (map-dot-fingerprint type). Qualitative ophthalmometry demonstrated corneal warpage in 20 of the patients. The best corrected visual acuity was improved with contact lenses over that achieved with spectacles in 14 of the 20. This appeared to confirm corneal warpage to be an important cause of decreased visual acuity in patients with anterior membrane dystrophy. Although the long-term use of contact lenses may be limited by these patients' tendency to corneal epithelial erosion, 18 of the 24 patients in this series had been wearing contact lenses and tolerating them well.