The cornea is like the windshield of your eye. The clear outer lens is normally shaped similar to a ball. Sometimes this structure weakens and can’t hold the shape, bulging outwards like a cone. This occurrence is called keratoconus.
Understanding keratoconus impact on eyesight will help you lead a better life. Let us discuss the causes, symptoms and treatment of this disease.
Causes
The cause of keratoconus is still unknown, despite being studied for decades. It remains poorly understood, but experts largely believe that the predisposition to develop this disease is present at birth.
The following factors can increase the risk of developing vision problems with keratoconus:
● Patients with a family history of keratoconus are at a higher risk of developing this disease. Certain system disorders, such as Down, and Ehlers-Danlos syndromes can also be a reason.
● Consistent inflammation from irritants or allergies can contribute to corneal tissue damage, which results in keratoconus.
● Constant eye rubbing is linked with keratoconus as well.
● Keratoconus is usually discovered in the teenage years. Young patients with advanced keratoconus often need surgical intervention as the disease worsens.
Symptoms
Keratoconus changes your vision in two ways. As the cornea changes from a ball-shape to a dome-shape, the smooth surface becomes wavy. Next, as the front expands, your vision becomes more nearsighted. This implies that you can clearly see objects only when they are close to you. Anything too far becomes blurred.
Symptoms of keratoconus may change as the disease progresses, which include:
● Distorted or blurred vision.
● Increased sensitivity to glare and bright light causes problems with night driving.
● A need for regular changes in eyeglass prescription.
● Sudden clouding or worsening of vision.
Treatment
If keratoconus can’t be cured, how is it treated? Before we answer that question, let us discuss how it’s diagnosed.
Along with thorough eye exams and a complete medical history, your eye doctor might perform the following tests to diagnose this disease:
● Corneal topography
This is the most precise method to diagnose early keratoconus and monitor its progression. A digital image is taken that creates a map of the cornea’s curve.
● Slit-lamp exam
This method helps detect irregularities in the middle and outer layers of the cornea.
● Pachymetry
This examination is used to measure the thinnest areas of the cornea.
As for keratoconus treatment, it depends on the severity of the case. If it’s mild, new eyeglasses would clear things up. If not, you will be prescribed specialised contact lenses and rigid gas-permeable contacts are the first choice. But sometimes rigid lenses don’t fit properly due to the advanced nature of the disease. In such cases, scleral contact lenses are the preferred choice. Over time, you might need other treatments to strengthen the cornea and improve sight.
Corneal cross-linking for keratoconus might stop the condition from worsening. Or your doctor will implant a ring called Intacs under the cornea’s substance to flatten the dome shape and enhance vision.
If other treatments don’t work, the last resort is a cornea transplant. This is a safe procedure and it has a more than 90% success rate.
Keratoconus can be a worrying eye condition, but the experts at Laxmi Netralaya are on your side. We will work with you to find the best keratoconus treatment options!