Keratoconus
Keratoconus is a slowly progressive disease that leads to a thinning of the cornea. The cornea is the clear surface tissue of the eye (upon which contact lenses sit) and it is most responsible for focusing light in the eye. Keratoconus usually occurs in both eyes, though one eye may affected earlier and more than the other. The thinned area of the cornea tends to bulge outward and becomes cone shaped, which can progressively reduce vision.
The first signs of Keratoconus usually occur between the ages of 15-25 and can often be treated with glasses and/or contact lenses. The prescription may even change several times over the course of a year, with periods of stabilization and then further progression. As the bulging progresses, visual quality decreases as myopia(nearsightedness) and astigmatism (irregularity of the cornea) increase. Later, patients may notice progressive glare, sensitive to bright lights, and occasionally even double vision. Most cases tend to remain painless unless there are late secondary complications due to the increasingly thinned cornea.
Frequently, there is a history of asthma, allergies, or chronic eye rubbing. This supports a mechanical cause for some patients. It may or may not be hereditary.
Presently, there is no specific cure for this condition of unknown cause. However, there are treatments to help maintain good or useful vision until quite late in the disease. Early on, glasses or soft contact lenses may allow for good vision. As Keratoconus progresses, specially designed Keratoconus Contact Lenses become the treatment of choice. Keratoconus corneal distorion may become severe enough that contact lenses will no longer stay on the eye. At this point, surgery is usually needed.
Penetrating Keratoplasty (corneal transplantation) used to be the last surgical resort, needed when contact lenses were no longer tolerated, or when corneal scarring developed. While the prognosis following corneal transplantation is generally good to excellent, there is now another treatment for Keratoconus which can delay the need for Corneal Transplantation, and possibly allow a return to contact lenses - Intacs in Keratoconus.
For additional information about Keratoconus, you can visit www.kcenter.org
|
