Keratoconus Q & A

What is keratoconus?

Keratoconus is a condition where your cornea, the clear front surface of your eye, thins and begins bulging outward, resembling a cone. Normal, healthy corneas are round and smooth, and they focus light equally onto your retina, producing clear, sharp vision.

Keratoconus distorts your vision because your eyes are uneven and cannot properly focus light. In the early stages of the condition, you can correct your vision using glasses or soft contact lenses, the same way you would other refractive errors like astigmatism. However, over time, you may need more specialized treatment to correct your vision problems.

How does keratoconus progress?

Most cases of keratoconus begin between the ages of 10 and 25. The condition may progress for 10-20 years and then stabilize; it affects both eyes, but not necessarily at the same rate.

As keratoconus progresses, your cornea continues to stick out more. At first, it causes slightly blurry, distorted vision, along with sensitivity to glare and light. 

In the early stages of keratoconus, you may frequently need to change your eyeglass or contact lens prescription. Even with corrective lenses, you might not have 20/20 vision.

Eventually, as your eye changes shape, you may not be able to wear soft contact lenses because they don’t fit properly. Though keratoconus usually progresses slowly, some people experience sudden swelling, followed by scarring. This can cause further vision problems.

How is keratoconus treated?

Early, mild keratoconus may be treatable simply by wearing glasses or soft contact lenses. As the condition becomes more severe, however, eyeglasses may no longer be effective, and regular contact lenses may not fit your eye properly. At this stage, Dr. Levy may recommend specialty contact lenses.

If you have mild to moderate keratoconus, you may be able to treat your keratoconus with Ortho-K. Ortho-K is a non-surgical treatment that involves wearing specialized contact lenses overnight, which gently reshape your cornea. When appropriate, Dr. Levy may recommend corneal collagen crosslinking. This newer treatment has been shown effective in preventing the progression in keratoconus.

Dr. Levy has vast experience in fitting patients with “hard-to-fit” eyes for contact lenses. Options for keratoconus include:

• Rigid gas permeable lenses

• Scleral lenses, which cover the whites of your eyes

• “Piggybacking” lenses, placing a hard lens over a soft one

• Hybrid lenses with a hard center and soft border

If you have advanced keratoconus, Dr. Levy may refer you to an ophthalmologist for treatment. If your cornea is scarred or extremely thin, you may require a transplant.

To schedule an appointment at Rhody Eye Care for keratoconus treatment, call our office and we will be able to assist you.