Keratoconus

• What is keratoconus?
• How can keratoconus be treated?
• Learn more about keratoconus

What is keratoconus?

Keratoconus, sometimes abbreviated as KC, is a progressive, degenerative condition in which the cornea (the outer surface layer of the eye) protrudes and becomes cone-shaped, instead of round. This causes diminished vision brought on by scarring and an irregular surface of the eye.

Keratoconus typically develops between the ages of 12 and 25 and progresses for 10 to 20 years. It usually develops slowly, and many ophthalmologists miss its early signs. In its early stages, keratoconus causes slight blurring and distortion of vision, as well as increased sensitivity to glare and light. Keratoconus typically develops in both eyes, and while it does not cause blindness, it does cause significant visual impairment.

The causes of this condition are not known. It may have a genetic component and can be worsened by overexposure to sunlight, improperly fitting contacts, excessive eye rubbing, and chronic eye irritation.

How can keratoconus be treated?

Keratoconus can be treated with contact lenses, small crescent-shaped corneal implants known as Intacs®, a corneal transplant, or a combination of these treatments.

Hard Contact Lenses

Patients with mild to moderate keratoconus can often achieve excellent vision with rigid, gas-permeable contact lenses. These hard contacts work because your tear fluid fills the gap between your irregular corneal surface and the smooth and regular inner surface of the lens. This mimics a smooth, regular cornea, thus improving your vision.

However, fitting a keratoconic patient for contact lenses is a delicate procedure and can require some trial and error. Dr. Wong specializes in challenging contact lens fittings, especially in the fitting of rigid contacts for keratoconic patients.

Hard contact lenses may be necessary after corneal transplant surgery to improve keratoconus. In this case, fitting a patient for contacts is much easier, as the patient is left with a more regularly-shaped cornea following transplant surgery.

Intacs

Intacs® (intracorneal ring segments) can also be used to treat keratoconus by stimulating the cornea to flatten out to a more spherical shape. The advantage of Intacs® is that they take only minutes to implant and can be removed or adjusted as needed. However, Intacs® cannot eliminate the need for an eventual corneal transplant if keratoconus continues to progress.

These tiny, crescent-shaped implants are made of medical-grade glass and are easily inserted into your eye through a small incision near the outer edge of the cornea. They are a less invasive treatment for keratoconus compared to corneal transplantation. When implanted, the patient does not feel the implants, and they are nearly invisible.

ntacs® can also be used to treat low to moderate levels of myopia, by similarly flattening the cornea. While results are not guaranteed, many patients have experienced substantial improvements in their vision with Intacs®.

Corneal Transplant

In patients with more severe keratoconus, contact lenses may not be an effective treatment. In such cases, a corneal transplant (also known as penetrating keratoplasty) is often necessary. Corneal transplant surgery has the highest success rate of any transplant surgery in existence, and the success rate of corneal transplantation in patients with keratoconus is very good, with over 98 percent of patients gaining 20/40 vision (with correction). In cases where a corneal transplant does not drastically improve the patient’s vision, it will make contact lens fittings much easier.

The acute recovery period after surgery of this type is four to six weeks. Keratoconus rarely recurs in patients who have had a corneal transplant.

Since the cornea does not have a direct blood supply, the blood type of the donor does not have to be matched. Transplants involving donor corneas are much more successful than those with synthetic corneas, though some patients have conditions that require them to receive synthetic corneas.

Contact the Dr. Faris Ghosheh about Keratoconus Treatment

As ophthalmologists devoted to the study and health of the cornea, Dr. Ghosheh is uniquely suited to understand and treat keratoconus. If you suffer from this condition, there is no better place to seek treatment than Advanced Eye Medical Group. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

Learn More about Keratoconus

The National Keratoconus Foundation has good information about keratoconus and a support group for those affected by the condition.

The Eyebank Association promotes the gift of sight and aims to satisfy the large need for donor corneal tissue. About 100,000 corneal transplants are performed each year around the world, with over 90 percent turning out highly successful. However, the supply of donor corneal tissue has not yet met the demand.