4 Things to Know About Keratoconus

Keratoconus is a progressive eye condition that can cause severely blurred and distorted vision. In mild cases, specialty contact lenses may provide clear vision but in more advanced cases, surgical intervention can be required. There is also a surgical procedure used to prevent progression from a stable condition into a more severe or unstable state. These surgeries are both used with caution but can have a tremendous upside for an individual with keratoconus.
 

What is Keratoconus?

Keratoconus is a condition that causes thinning and steepening of the central portion of the cornea. The cornea is the clear structure on the front of the eye that is responsible for bending light into the eye and helping create an image for vision. When the cornea begins to thin and steepen, it can protrude in an abnormal pattern and form a cone-like shape on the cornea. Generally, keratoconus affects both eyes – even if one eye is more severe than the other. It is also a progressive condition that will worsen over time until it stabilizes, which typically occurs in the third or fourth decade of life.

Most individuals with keratoconus are diagnosed in their teens or early twenties. It is not uncommon for a family inheritance pattern of keratoconus to be present and increase the risk of developing keratoconus. 
 

Symptoms of Keratoconus

The biggest symptom of keratoconus is a distorted vision that is not improved with glasses. This is due to the abnormal curvature of the cornea which is not able to be accounted for with glasses. Instead, specialty hard contact lenses are the best option for correcting vision. Additional symptoms can include blurred vision, shadowing of objects, and the appearance of one eye protruding.
 

Cross-Linking Surgery to Prevent Progression

Since keratoconus is a progressive condition, when the condition is caught early and is stable, it may be recommended that an early intervention procedure be performed to reduce the risk of progression. Corneal cross-linking is a procedure that can help stabilize the cornea and prevent additional thinning, steepening, and changes from keratoconus. In order to recommend corneal cross-linking, progression must be noted over time in certain measurable characteristics. Possible progression can include changes to the curvature of the cornea, changes to the power needed for glasses or contacts, reduction in the best-corrected vision, or new signs noted in the cornea which indicate change. Corneal cross-linking does not reverse any existing changes or advancement from keratoconus, but it has been shown to dramatically reduce any future progression. 
 

Corneal Transplant Surgery for Keratoconus

If keratoconus is very severe, it may require a corneal transplant. There are three main reasons keratoconus could require a corneal transplant: the cornea becomes scarred, the vision is too distorted to function, or the cornea is perforated from the thinning. If the cornea scars from keratoconus, it can become cloudy and reduce vision, and require a full or partial corneal transplant. Similarly, if keratoconus advances to the point that vision is distorted beyond functional limits even with appropriate correction, a corneal transplant can be used. In the most severe cases of keratoconus, it can lead to a full perforation of the cornea due to progressive thinning. This requires an urgent corneal transplant to repair the open wound on the cornea. 

Our eye doctor at The Optical Centre in Longmont, CO excels in the prescription of glasses, contact lenses and the diagnosis of a variety of eye diseases. Call our optometrist at 303-772-6650 or schedule an eye exam appointment online if you would like to learn more about keratoconus. Our eye doctor, Dr. Erica Whitmire provides the highest quality optometry services and eye exams in Longmont, Colorado and its surrounding areas.