Keratoconus is a progressive disorder in the cornea of the eye. The cornea is the transparent layer that covers the front of the eye and contributes greatly to how well we see. In keratoconus, the cornea becomes thinner and protrudes into a more cone shaped structure which causes a lot of visual disturbances. It usually affects both eyes, but often one eye starts progressing earlier or has a more serious condition than the other. It most commonly affects people aged 10 to 25 and it progresses over around a decade.
Symptoms
The typical symptoms and signs of keratoconus include:
- Blurry distorted vision
- Sudden decrease in vision
- Constant need to change prescription in glasses
- Light sensitivity and glare
Treatment Options
At the very early stages of keratoconus, glasses or soft contact lenses can be an appropriate optical correction but as the condition progresses, these options do not usually provide sufficient correction for people with keratoconus. Patients with keratoconus used to be given hard contact lenses which turned out to be extremely uncomfortable for the shape of their cornea.
Scleral Lenses
Nowadays we have a wonderful optical correction using scleral lenses, which is unique because as opposed to sitting on the cornea, as most lenses do, it sits on the sclera, which is the white part of the eye. This makes this type of lens very comfortable and it prevents the eyelashes from causing discomfort every time the patient blinks.
Surgical Options
There are surgical methods, including cross linking which stabilizes the fibers in the cornea and can be combined with other refractive methods.
When to See the Eye Doctor
If you have any questions or concerns about keratoconus, please schedule an appointment at our office. Our professional staff has extensive experience diagnosing and treating keratoconus.
