What do guttae mean?

On our exams of the eye, we often see a findings that looks like small dots on the back part of the cornea. The cornea is the very front portion of the eyeball. These findings are called guttae, and they are indicative of decreased function of the back part of the cornea.

The back part of the cornea is responsible for pumping water out of the body of the cornea, which keeps it thin. Only when the cornea is thin is it able to properly focus light.

So, seeing guttae on an exam can mean that the cornea is not functioning properly.