About Keratoconus

Keratoconus is a non-inflammatory eye condition. It occurs when the cornea, which is usually round and dome-shaped, becomes much thinner. This causes a cone-like bulge to develop and the patient begins to experience a range of symptoms, some of which affect their vision. Keratoconus is progressive. This means that it will continue to worsen until treatment is sought. As the cornea becomes increasingly more cone-like, it causes the patient to develop myopia, better known as near-sightedness. This is where the patient has the ability to see objects close to them clearly with ease, but those that are further away appear blurred. Other symptoms of keratoconus include astigmatism, swelling, and scarring of the cornea, and eye strain and headaches which develop as a result of trying to focus on the objects that you cannot see clearly. Keratoconus can develop in one eye, or in both at the same time.

Treatment Options For Keratoconus

Although early-stage patients may be able to be treated with only glasses or soft contact lenses, a later-stage disease typically requires other options. The least invasive treatment options for keratoconus include hard gas permeable (GP) contact lenses, large scleral lenses that cover more of the eye, and hybrid contact lenses that combine soft edges for comfort with a hard center for sharper vision. Some patients may be able to get custom-fitted soft contact lenses that are made to conform to the contours of their eye.
If these options no longer work, patients can receive treatment such as Intacs or corneal transplant. Intacs are surgically-implanted devices that are placed around the edges of the cornea to help support a more normal shape. In cases where vision cannot be restored to an acceptable level using other methods, a corneal transplant may be used. There are also several new or experimental treatments that may potentially help keratoconus patients.