Keratoconus is a progressive eye disease where the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye, thins and bulges outward into a cone shape. Keratoconus typically begins in the teens or early twenties and can worsen over time, though progression can slow down in later years.
What Are TheSymptoms?
• Blurred or distorted vision.
• Increased sensitivity to bright light and glare, which can cause problems with night driving.
• A need for frequent changes in eyeglass prescriptions.
• Sudden worsening or clouding of vision.
How Is Keratoconus Detected?
• Visual acuity test: This test can show that vision is blurry and not fully correctable with glasses.
• Retinoscopy: A doctor may use a retinoscope to check the eyes' refractive properties and can sometimes see a "scissoring" effect on the reflected light, indicating irregular astigmatism.
• Clinical signs: A doctor may look for external signs like the Munson's sign, which is a V-shaped indentation of the lower eyelid when looking down, caused by the cone-shaped cornea.
• Keratometry: This test measures the basic curvature of the cornea by focusing a circle of light onto it and measuring the reflection.
• Slit-lamp examination: A specialized microscope is used to get a detailed view of the cornea's surface, allowing the doctor to look for signs like thinning or a conical shape.
• Computerized corneal mapping (Topography/Tomography): This is a key diagnostic tool that creates a detailed 3D map of the cornea's surface, showing its shape and any irregularities.
• Pachymetry: This test measures the thickness of the cornea, which is often thinned in individuals with keratoconus.
What are The Risk Factors
• Having a family history of keratoconus.
• Rubbing the eyes vigorously.
• Having certain conditions, such as Retinitis Pigmentosa, Down syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Marfan syndrome, hay fever and asthma.
Treatment we offer
While there isn't a cure, a procedure called Corneal Collagen Cross-linking with Riboflavin (C3R) may help to slow or stop keratoconus from progressing, possibly preventing the need for a future cornea transplant.
This treatment may be offered in addition to the vision correction options.