Onset occurs in the first decade, usually between ages 5 and 9. The disorder is progressive. Minute, gray, punctate opacities develop. Corneal sensitivity is usually reduced. Painful attacks with photophobia, foreign body sensations, and recurrent erosions occur in most patients. Macular corneal dystrophy is very common in Iceland and accounts for almost one-third of all corneal grafts performed there.

Some symptoms consistent with Becker muscular dystrophy are:

Individuals with this disorder typically experience progressive muscle weakness of the leg and pelvis muscles, which is associated with a loss of muscle mass (wasting). Muscle weakness also occurs in the arms, neck, and other areas, but not as noticeably severe as in the lower half of the body.Calf muscles initially enlarge during the ages of 5-15 (an attempt by the body to compensate for loss of muscle strength), but the enlarged muscle tissue is eventually replaced by fat and connective tissue (pseudohypertrophy) as the legs become less used (with use of wheelchair).

Corneal dystrophies were commonly subdivided depending on its specific location within the cornea into "anterior", "stromal", or "posterior" according to the layer of the cornea affected by the dystrophy.

In 2015 the ICD3 classification was published. and has classified disease into four groups as follows:

Epithelial and subepithelial dystrophies

- Epithelial basement membrane dystrophy

- Epithelial recurrent erosion dystrophies (EREDs)—Franceschetti corneal dystrophy, Dystrophia Smolandiensis, and Dystrophia Helsinglandica

- Subepithelial mucinous corneal dystrophy

- Meesmann corneal dystrophy

- Lisch epithelial corneal dystrophy

- Gelatinous drop-like corneal dystrophy

Bowman Layer dystrophies

- Reis–Bücklers corneal dystrophy

- Thiel–Behnke corneal dystrophy

- Stromal dystrophies-

- TGFB1 corneal dystrophies

- Lattice corneal dystrophy, type 1 variants (III, IIIA, I/IIIA, IV) of lattice corneal dystrophy

- Granular corneal dystrophy, type 1

- Granular corneal dystrophy, type 2

Stromal dystrophies

- Macular corneal dystrophy

- Schnyder crystalline corneal dystrophy

- Congenital stromal corneal dystrophy

- Fleck corneal dystrophy

- Posterior amorphous corneal dystrophy

- Central cloudy dystrophy of François

- Pre-Descemet corneal dystrophy

Endothelial dystrophies

- Fuchs' dystrophy

- Posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy

- Congenital hereditary endothelial dystrophy

- X-linked endothelial corneal dystrophy

The following (now historic) classification was by Klintworth:

Superficial dystrophies:

- Epithelial basement membrane dystrophy

- Meesmann juvenile epithelial corneal dystrophy

- Gelatinous drop-like corneal dystrophy

- Lisch epithelial corneal dystrophy

- Subepithelial mucinous corneal dystrophy

- Reis-Bucklers corneal dystrophy

- Thiel–Behnke dystrophy

Stromal dystrophies:

- Lattice corneal dystrophy

- Granular corneal dystrophy

- Macular corneal dystrophy

- Schnyder crystalline corneal dystrophy

- Congenital stromal corneal dystrophy

- Fleck corneal dystrophy

Posterior dystrophies:

- Fuchs' dystrophy

- Posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy

- Congenital hereditary endothelial dystrophy

Possible complications associated with MD are cardiac arrhythmias.(BMD) Becker muscular dystrophy also demonstrates the following:

- Mental impairment (less common in BMD than it is in DMD.)

- Pulmonary failure

- Pneumonia

Patients with Reis-Bücklers dystrophy develop a reticular pattern of cloudiness in the cornea. This cloudiness, or opacity, usually appears in both eyes (bilaterally) in the upper cornea by 4 or 5 years of age. The opacity elevates the corneal epithelium, eventually leading to corneal erosions that prompt attacks of ocular hyperemia, pain, and photophobia. These recurrent painful corneal epithelial erosions often begin as early as 1 year of age.

With time, the corneal changes progress into opacities in Bowman's membrane, which gradually becomes more irregular and more dense. Significant vision loss may occur. However, vascularization of the cornea is not present.

The main symptom of DMD, a progressive neuromuscular disorder, is muscle weakness associated with muscle wasting with the voluntary muscles being first affected, especially those of the hips, pelvic area, thighs, shoulders, and calves. Muscle weakness also occurs later, in the arms, neck, and other areas. Calves are often enlarged. Symptoms usually appear before age six and may appear in early infancy.

Other physical symptoms are:

According to Lewis P. Rowland, in the anthology "Gene Expression In Muscle," if a boy is affected with DMD, the condition can be observed clinically from the moment he takes his first steps. It becomes harder and harder for the boy to walk; his ability to walk usually completely disintegrates between the time the boy is 9 to 12 years of age. Most men affected with DMD become essentially “paralyzed from the neck down” by the age of 21. Muscle wasting begins in the legs and pelvis, then progresses to the muscles of the shoulders and neck, followed by loss of arm muscles and respiratory muscles. Calf muscle enlargement (pseudohypertrophy) is quite obvious. Cardiomyopathy particularly (dilated cardiomyopathy) is common, but the development of congestive heart failure or arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) is only occasional.

The main pathological features in this dystrophy are mulberry-shaped gelatinous masses beneath the corneal epithelium. Patients suffer from photophobia, foreign body sensation in the cornea. The loss of vision is severe. The amyloid nodules have been found to contain lactoferrin, but the gene encoding lactoferrin is unaffected.

This form of corneal amyloidosis appears to be more frequent in Japan.

Presentation of symptoms and signs varies considerably by form (DM1/DM2), severity and even unusual DM2 phenotypes. DM1 symptoms for DM2 include problems with executive function (e.g., organization, concentration, word-finding) and hypersomnia. Conduction abnormalities are more common in DM1 than DM2, but all people are advised to have an annual ECG. Both types are also associated with insulin resistance. Myotonic dystrophy may have a cortical cataract with a blue dot appearance, or a posterior subcapsular cataract.

DM2 is generally milder than DM1, with generally fewer DM2 people requiring assistive devices than DM1 people. In addition, the severe congenital form that affects babies in DM1 has not been found in DM2 and the early onset of symptoms is rarely noted to appear in younger people in the medical literature.

Symptoms may appear at any time from infancy to adulthood. DM causes general weakness, usually beginning in the muscles of the hands, feet, neck, or face. It slowly progresses to involve other muscle groups, including the heart. DM affects a wide variety of other organ systems as well.

The symptoms of an individual with Limb-girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD) generally has great difficulty walking, going both up and down stairs and raising from a chair. The inability to bend over or squat down is also present. Because of these difficulties, falling can occur on a regular basis. Lifting certain objects, as well as difficulty extending your arms out or above your head, varies from difficult to impossible depending on the severity. Eventually the ability to walk/run deteriorates.

Further "presentations" an individual with LGMD might have are:

The disease inevitably gets worse over time, although progression is more rapid in some patients than others. Eventually the disease can affect other muscles such as the ones located in the face. The disease commonly leads to dependence on a wheelchair within years of symptom onset, but there is high inter-patient variability, with some patients maintaining mobility.

The muscle weakness is generally symmetric, proximal, and slowly progressive. In most cases, pain is not present with LGMD, and mental function is not affected. LGMD can begin in childhood, adolescence, young adulthood or even later, the age of onset is usually between 10 and 30. Both genders are affected equally, when limb-girdle muscular dystrophy begins in childhood the progression appears to be faster and the disease more disabling. When the disorder begins in adolescence or adulthood the disease is generally not as severe and progresses more slowly.There is no sensory neuropathy or autonomic or visceral dysfunction at presentation.

Main differential diagnosis include various causes of monoclonal gammopathy, lecithin-cholesterol-acyltransferase deficiency, Fabry disease, cystinosis, tyrosine transaminase deficiency, systemic lysosomal storage diseases, and several skin diseases (X-linked ichthyosis, keratosis follicularis spinolosa decalvans).

Historically, an accumulation of small gray variable shaped punctate opacities of variable shape in the central deep corneal stroma immediately anterior to Descemet membrane were designated deep filiform dystrophy and cornea farinata because of their resemblance to commas, circles, lines, threads (filiform), flour (farina) or dots. These abnormalities are now known to accompany X-linked ichthyosis, steroid sulfatase deficiency, caused by steroid sulfatase gene mutations and are currently usually not included under the rubric of the corneal dystrophies.

In the past, the designation vortex corneal dystrophy (corneal verticillata) was applied to a corneal disorder characterized by the presence of innumerable tiny brown spots arranged in curved whirlpool-like lines in the superficial cornea. An autosomal dominant mode of transmission was initially suspected, but later it was realized that these individuals were affected hemizygous males and asymptomatic female carriers of an X-linked systemic metabolic disease caused by a deficiency of α-galactosidase, known as Fabry disease.

The presentation of Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy in an affected individual is as follows:

- Muscle weakness

- Difficulty walking

- Contractures (neck)

- Joint looseness

Patients may complain of severe problems with dry eyes, or with visual obscurations. It can also be asymptomatic, and only discovered because of subtle lines and marks seen during an eye exam.

EBMD is a bilateral anterior corneal dystrophy characterized by grayish epithelial fingerprint lines, geographic map-like lines, and dots (or microcysts) on slit-lamp examination. Findings are variable and can change with time. While the disorder is usually asymptomatic, up to 10% of patients may have recurrent corneal erosions, usually beginning after age 30; conversely, 50% of patients presenting with idiopathic recurrent erosions have evidence of this dystrophy.

Oguchi disease present with nonprogressive night blindness since young childhood or birth with normal day vision, but they frequently claim improvement of light sensitivities when they remain for some time in a darkened environment.

On examination patients have normal visual fields but the fundos have a diffuse or patchy, silver-gray or golden-yellow metallic sheen and the retinal vessels stand out in relief against the background.

A prolonged dark adaptation of three hours or more, leads to disappearance of this unusual discoloration and the appearance of a normal reddish appearance. This is known as the Mizuo-Nakamura phenomena and is thought to be caused by the overstimulation of rod cells.

Other conditions with similar appearing fundi include

- Cone dystrophy

- X-linked retinitis pigmentosa

- Juvenile macular dystrophy

These conditions do not show the Mizuo-Nakamura phenomenon.

In the recessive form corneal clouding is observed at birth or within the neonatal period, nystagmus is often present, but no photophobia or epiphora is seen. In the autosomal dominant type corneal opacification is usually seen in the first or second year of life and progresses slowly, and nystagmus is infrequently seen.

Granular corneal dystrophy is diagnosed during an eye examination by an ophthalmologist or optometrist. The lesions consist of central, fine, whitish granular lesions in the cornea. Visual acuity is slightly reduced.

Most infants with CMD will display some progressive muscle weakness or muscle wasting (atrophy), although there can be different degrees and symptoms of severeness of progression. The weakness is indicated as "hypotonia", or lack of muscle tone, which can make an infant seem unstable.

Children may be slow with their motor skills; such as rolling over, sitting up or walking, or may not even reach these milestones of life. Some of the more rarer forms of CMD can result in significant learning disabilities.

Reis-Bücklers corneal dystrophy, also known as corneal dystrophy of Bowman layer, type I, is a rare, corneal dystrophy of unknown cause, in which the Bowman's layer of the cornea undergoes disintegration. The disorder is inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion, and is associated with mutations in the gene TGFB1.

Reis-Bücklers dystrophy causes a cloudiness in the corneas of both eyes, which may occur as early as 1 year of age, but usually develops by 4 to 5 years of age. It is usually evident within the first decade of life. This cloudiness, or opacity, causes the corneal epithelium to become elevated, which leads to corneal opacities. The corneal erosions may prompt attacks of redness and swelling in the eye (ocular hyperemia), eye pain, and photophobia. Significant vision loss may occur.

Reis-Bücklers dystrophy is diagnosed by clinical history physical examination of the eye. Labs and imaging studies are not necessary. Treatment may include a complete or partial corneal transplant, or photorefractive keratectomy.

Vitelliform macular dystrophy causes a fatty yellow pigment (lipofuscin) to build up in cells underlying the macula. The retinal pigment epithelium also degenerates. Over time, the abnormal accumulation of this substance can damage the cells that are critical for clear central vision. As a result, people with this disorder often lose their central vision and may experience blurry or distorted vision, and loss is rarely symmetric. Scotomata appear, first with red light and then for green; finally, relative (or in more serious cases, absolute) scotomata occur with white light. Vitelliform macular dystrophy does not affect side (peripheral) vision or the ability to see at night.

Researchers have described two forms of vitelliform macular dystrophy with similar features. The early-onset form (known as Best disease) usually appears in childhood; however, the onset of symptoms and the severity of vision loss vary widely. The adult-onset form begins later, usually in middle age, and tends to cause relatively mild vision loss. The two forms of vitelliform macular dystrophy each have characteristic changes in the macula that can be detected during an eye examination.

Filamentous opacities appear in the cornea with intertwining delicate branching processes. During an eye examination, the doctor sees these deposits in the stroma as clear, comma-shaped overlapping dots and branching filaments, creating a lattice effect. Over time, the lattice lines will grow opaque and involve more of the stroma. They will also gradually converge, giving the cornea a cloudiness that may also reduce vision. The disease is bilateral, usually noted before the end of the first decade of life. Although lattice dystrophy can occur at any time in life, the condition usually arises in children between the ages of two and seven.

In some people, these abnormal protein fibers can accumulate under the cornea's outer layer—the epithelium. This can cause erosion of the epithelium. This condition is known as recurrent epithelial erosion. These erosions alter the cornea's normal curvature, resulting in temporary vision problems, and expose the nerves that line the cornea, causing severe pain. Even the involuntary act of blinking can be painful.

In systemic cases, kidney failure, heart failure and neuropathy such as facial nerve palsy, laxity of the skin may be noted.

Schnyder crystalline corneal dystrophy (SCD) is a rare form of corneal dystrophy. It is caused by heterozygous mutations in UBIAD1 gene. Cells in the cornea accumulate cholesterol and phosopholipid deposits leading to the opacity, in severe cases requiring corneal transplants. Abnormal cholesterol metabolism has been noted in other cell types of affected patients (skin fibroblasts) suggesting that this may be a systemic disorder with clinical manifestations limited to the cornea.

Congenital stromal corneal dystrophy (CSCD), also called Witschel dystrophy, is an extremely rare, autosomal dominant form of corneal dystrophy. Only 4 families have been reported to have the disease by 2009. The main features of the disease are numerous opaque flaky or feathery areas of clouding in the stroma that multiply with age and eventually preclude visibility of the endothelium. Strabismus or primary open angle glaucoma was noted in some of the patients. Thickness of the cornea stays the same, Descemet's membrane and endothelium are relatively unaffected, but the fibrills of collagen that constitute stromal lamellae are reduced in diameter and lamellae themselves are packed significantly more tightly.

In terms of the signs/symptoms of Fukuyama congenital muscular dystrophy it is characterized by a decrease in skeletal muscle tone as well as an impairment in brain and eye development.Initial symptoms of FCMD present in early infancy as decreased ability to feed. Marked differences in facial appearance occur due to decreased muscle tone. Further characteristics include:

- Seizures

- Delay in developmental

- Cardiac issues

- Swallowing difficulty

- Neurological problems

Fukuyama congenital muscular dystrophy also affects the nervous system and various associated parts. FCMD affects normal development of the brain producing a broadly smooth, bumpy shaped cortex named cobblestone lissencephaly as well as various other malformations, notably micropolygyria. Children also experience delayed myelination in the brain.

Granular corneal dystrophy is a slowly progressive corneal dystrophy that most often begins in early childhood.

Granular corneal dystrophy has two types:

- Granular corneal dystrophy type I , also corneal dystrophy Groenouw type I, is a rare form of human corneal dystrophy. It was first described by German ophthalmologist Arthur Groenouw in 1890.

- Granular corneal dystrophy type II, also called Avellino corneal dystrophy or combined granular-lattice corneal dystrophy is also a rare form of corneal dystrophy. The disorder was first described by Folberg et al. in 1988. The name Avellino corneal dystrophy comes from the first four patients in the original study each tracing their family origin to the Italian province of Avellino.

Congenital hereditary corneal dystrophy (CHED) is a form of corneal dystrophy which presents at birth.