Keratoconus
Keratoconus is a corneal disease that occurs when the normally round dome-shaped cornea (the clear outer area of the eye) progressively thins causing a cone-like bulge to develop. Typically diagnosed during adolescence and early adulthood with a variable rate of progression.The bulging or “cone-shaped” protrusion is caused by the normal pressure of the eye pushing out on the thinned areas of the cornea. Since the cornea is responsible for refracting most of the light coming into your eye, an abnormal-shaped cornea can create reduced visual acuity and affect the way you see. This reduced visual acuity can make even simple daily tasks, such as driving, watching television or reading, difficult to perform.
What causes keratoconus?
Doctors do not know for sure why people have keratoconus. In some cases, it appears to be genetic (passed down in families). About 1 out of 10 people with keratoconus have a parent who has it too.
Keratoconus often starts when people are in their late teens to early 20s. The vision symptoms slowly get worse over a period of about 10 to 20 years.
Keratoconus is more common in contact lens wearers and people with nearsighted eyes. Some researchers believe that allergy may play a role.
Keratoconus Treatment
Keratoconus treatment depends on your symptoms. When your symptoms are mild, your vision can be corrected with eyeglasses. Later you may need to wear special hard contact lenses to help keep vision in proper focus.
Here are other ways that your ophthalmologist might treat keratoconus:
Keratoconus Management
How can we help you?
Cross Linking
Corneal Collagen Cross linking with Riboflavin, also known as CXL, CCR and CCL. A one-time application of riboflavin solution is administrated to the eye and is activated by illumination with UV-A light for approximately 30 minutes.
The aim of the treatment is to stabilize the cornea and prevent the progression of keratoconus and based on a significant stiffening of the corneal stroma due to photochemical cross linking of the single collagen fibers from “ denser network “ which leads to an increase in the overall stability of the cornea.
Intracoreal Rings
ICRS are tiny plastic ring segments that are implanted in the cornea even though they are very small, their mass is enough to change the shape of the front surface of the eye and correct refractive error.
Imagining your cornea as a tent with curved top. If you push out the sides of the tent, the top flattens, similarly, when intacs inserts are placed in the side of the cornea, they flatten it just enough to correct Myopia and Keratoconus diseases
How Long Does The Surgery Take? It takes approximately 15 – 30 minutes to place intacs in your eye. The total procedure for one eye , including preparation time, is usually less than an hour.
Corneal Transplantation
The cornea is the clear, front window of the eye. It helps focus light into the eye so that you can see. The cornea is made of layers of cells. These layers work together to protect your eye and provide clear vision.
Your cornea must be clear, smooth and healthy for good vision. If it is scarred, swollen, or damaged, light is not focused properly into the eye. As a result, your vision is blurry or you see glare.
If your cornea cannot be healed or repaired, your ophthalmologist may recommend a corneal transplant. This is when the diseased cornea is replaced with a clear, healthy cornea from a human donor.
A human donor is someone who chooses to donate (give) his or her corneas after their death to people who need them. All donated corneas are carefully tested to make sure they are healthy and safe to use.
There are different types of corneal transplants. In some cases, only the front and middle layers of the cornea are replaced. In others, only the inner layer is removed. Sometimes, the entire cornea needs to be replaced.
