What Is Keratoconus?
Commonly occurring during the teenage years or early 20s, keratoconus is a progressive eye disease that can cause significant vision distortion if not diagnosed early. Keratoconus begins with a progressive thinning of the cornea. As the round cornea becomes thinner, the shape of the eye begins to bulge and become more cone-like in shape. These changes negatively affect the way light enters the eye and subsequently distorts your vision. Keratoconus can affect one or both eyes, but typically both eyes are affected.
Causes of Keratoconus
The specific cause of keratoconus is still somewhat unknown, but the disorder is generally linked to a combination of genetic, environmental, and hormonal factors. For example, some people with keratoconus have the condition in their family’s medical history, and some gene mutations are related to cornea thinning. Those who have been diagnosed with connective tissue disorders have also been shown to be at a higher risk for developing this condition.
Additionally, people with allergies or atopic diseases may find that they are more likely to deal with worsened symptoms of keratoconus due to frequent and vigorous rubbing of the eyes. Excessive exposure to UV rays may also cause the condition to progress by negatively impacting the cornea’s integrity.
Signs and Symptoms of Keratoconus
Keratoconus patients may begin to experience an onset of symptoms that include:
- Blurry vision – Much like peering through foggy or warped glass, one’s vision may become blurry because of the abnormal shape of the cornea.
- Double vision – Double vision can develop in a single eye as the shape of the cornea starts to change.
- Progressive nearsightedness – Keratoconus may cause gradual or rapid decline in the quality of your vision.
- Irregular astigmatism – The distortion of the cornea creates an uneven surface for refracting light, which can result in irregular astigmatism that cannot be fully corrected with glasses.
- Light sensitivity (photophobia) – Keratoconus can also lead to discomfort when faced with glare or bright lights, particularly in dark settings.
Additionally, if you have large eyeglass prescription changes with every regularly scheduled eye exam, this may be an indication of keratoconus.
Because the signs and symptoms associated with keratoconus can sometimes be confused for other conditions, it’s important to seek a professional diagnosis from a skilled optometrist.
Keratoconus vs Astigmatism
As both keratoconus and astigmatism stem from changes in the curvature of the cornea and can produce similar symptoms, they are often confused with each other. This particularly occurs in the early stages of keratoconus. However, the two conditions are quite different due to their causes and the severity of the symptoms experienced. Although both can result in blurred vision, astigmatism can generally be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. In contrast, keratoconus causes more severe distortion in vision and correction may require specialty contact lenses or surgery. Unlike astigmatism, which is more stable, keratoconus frequently becomes worse over time if it is not treated.
Keratoconus Treatment
If you are diagnosed with keratoconus, there are several treatment options available to you. Depending on the severity of your condition, your Sight360 optometrist may recommend a variety of treatment options, from specialty contact lenses to surgery. While the goal of treatment is always to improve vision, in some cases it may also be necessary to stabilize the cornea in order to stop the disease from progressing further.
Contact Lens Options for Keratoconus
For many patients, the disease stabilizes after a few years without severe vision problems, and generally, specialized contact lenses can provide acceptable vision.
Specialized contact lenses for keratoconus include:
- Custom soft contact lenses – These are typically created for patients who have mild to moderate keratoconus. They are custom-crafted to fit the abnormal shape of the cornea.
- Gas permeable contact lenses – These lenses are rigid, forming a smooth surface over the cornea that helps focus light. Their rigidity may make them less comfortable than soft contact lenses, and they are better suited for moderate to advanced cases.
- Hybrid contact lenses – With a rigid center but a soft outer rim, these lenses offer the advantages of the above two options while limiting their drawbacks.
- Scleral and semi-scleral lenses – The large diameter of these lenses enables them to arch over the cornea, resting instead on the sclera. This provides a smooth surface for light to penetrate, while the larger size offers greater stability.
Our eye doctors can fit you with essentially any contact lens required to correct your condition.
Surgical Options for Keratoconus
For more severe cases of keratoconus, patients may be advised to seek surgery, which can include:
- Corneal Cross-linking – a surgery to strengthen and reinforce the collagen fibers of the cornea to stabilize it and prevent further progression.
- Intacs® (surgically applied corneal inserts) – Intacs are tiny, crescent-shaped pieces of plastic that are inserted into the cornea in order to flatten its shape and thus improve the ability to focus light on the retina. This minimally invasive procedure is a particularly good option for those with mild to moderate symptoms.
- Corneal transplantation – During this surgery, the distorted cornea is removed and a donor cornea is inserted in its place. This surgical procedure is typically reserved for those with advanced keratoconus whose cornea is too damaged to respond to other types of treatments. While recovery can take several months, the result is typically a significant improvement in the patient’s vision, even in more severe cases.
Turn to Sight360 for Keratoconus Diagnosis & Treatment
After one of our expert optometrists assesses your condition, they can determine which treatment options might be right for you. If you have questions about the diagnosis or treatment of keratoconus or need to schedule an eye exam with one of our experienced optometrists, contact Sight360 today.