Confocal Microscopy Used As the Definitive, Early Diagnostic Method in Chandler Syndrome

Purpose: To report the early, rapid diagnosis of the Chandler variant of the iridocorneal endothelial (ICE) syndrome using confocal light microscopy.

Methods: A 62-year-old man with a long history of unilateral glaucoma reported progressively blurred vision in his right eye. Examination of both eyes included visual acuity, slit-lamp examination, pneumotonometry, visual field, gonioscopy, and confocal microscopy.

Results: On examination, visual acuity was 20/80 and 20/20 and the IOPs were 26 and 12. The anterior segment OD revealed 1+ inferior and axial corneal edema, while the OS was normal to biomicroscopy and posterior segment. Chandler syndrome or Fuchs endothelial dystrophy was suspected. In the affected eye, confocal light microscopy clearly showed an "epithelium-like" transformation of the corneal endothelium with irregularly shaped cells and hyperreflective nuclei, establishing the diagnosis of Chandler syndrome.

Conclusions: In the presence of corneal edema or haze, corneal endothelium can be clearly visualized by confocal microscopy. "Epithelium-like" endothelial cells with highly reflective nuclei characteristic of Chandler syndrome were easily identified by confocal light microscopy to establish the diagnosis, despite the presence of corneal edema. Thus, confocal microscopy is a sensitive tool for the rapid, early diagnosis of ICE syndrome and may help distinguish among its variants.