Keratoconus and Your Treatment Options

​​​​​​​

What is Keratoconus?

Keratoconus is a progressive eye disease in which the normally round, dome-shaped cornea (the clear front surface of the eye) thins and gradually bulges outward into a cone shape. This irregular shape distorts vision and can cause significant visual impairment over time.
 

Key Features of Keratoconus:

• Thinning of the cornea: The cornea becomes progressively thinner and weaker, usually in the center or just below the center.

• Cone-like protrusion: The cornea bulges outward in a cone shape.

• Irregular astigmatism and myopia: Vision becomes distorted due to the irregular curvature, often resulting in nearsightedness and astigmatism that are difficult to correct with glasses.

When does Keratoconus start?

Keratoconus can start in the teenage years or even earlier and progresses rapidly for the first three decades before slowing down or stabilizing.

What are the symptoms of Keratoconus?

• Blurred or distorted vision

• Increased sensitivity to light and glare

• Frequent changes in eyeglass prescription

• Difficulty seeing at night

• Halos around lights

​​​​​​​

What are the causes of Keratoconus?

Causes and Risk Factors:

• Exact cause is unknown, but it is thought to be linked to a combination of genetic and environmental factors

• Family history of keratoconus increases risk. 

• Eye rubbing (especially in people with allergies) is a known risk factor.

• Conditions like Down syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and Marfan syndrome are associated with higher incidence.

How can it be diagnosed?

Corneal topography and tomography are tests that map the shape of the cornea.  Corneal tomography is a technology that  is able to detect early keratoconus. If your optometrist suspects you to have Keratoconus, they will refer you to a cornea specialist for detailed testing to confirm or rule out Keratoconus

Is there a treatment for Keratoconus?

The treatment of keratoconus has two arms:

1. Slowing or stopping the progression of disease: This is achieved with Corneal Cross-Linking procedure

2. Improving vision: Glasses/contact lenses.

Glasses or soft contact lenses help in improving vision in mild or early stages of Keratoconus. 

As the Keratoconus progresses, RGP or more specialty lenses like hybrid lens or scleral lens are needed to improve vision as glasses and soft lenses don’t work well.

Please refer to cross linking in the Services tab to learn more.

Does every patient need a corneal transplant?

A corneal transplant is needed only in a very late stage of the disease in which the cornea has become extremely thin, irregular or has developed a scar. The goal of Cross-Linking is to stabilize the cornea and prevent the patient from reaching the stage where corneal transplant is the only solution.