What is keratoconus?

Keratoconus is a condition in which the cornea becomes thin and protrudes.  Keratoconus, literally, mean a cone shaped cornea.  This abnormal shape can cause serious distortion of vision.

What causes keratoconus?

Despite continuing research, the cause of keratoconus remains unknown.  Although keratoconus is not generally considered an inherited disorder, the chance of a blood relative having keratoconus is thought to be as high as one in ten.

Vigorous eye rubbing, although not the cause of keratoconus, can contribute to the disease process.  Therefore, patients with keratoconus are advised to avoid rubbing their eyes.

What are the symptoms of keratoconus?

Blurring and distortion of vision are the earliest symptoms of keratoconus.  Symptoms usually appear in the late teens and early twenties.  The disease will often progress slowly for 10 to 20 years then stop.

In the early stages, vision may be only slightly affected causing glare, light sensitivity and irritation.  Each eye may be affected differently.  As the disease progresses and the cornea steepens and scars, the vision may become more distorted.

A sudden decrease in vision can occur if the cornea swells.  The cornea swells when the elastic part of the cornea develops a tiny crack, created by the strain of the cornea’s protruded cone-like shape.  The swelling may persist for weeks or months as the crack heals and is gradually replaced by scar tissue. 

How is keratoconus treated?

Mild cases are successfully treated with glasses or specially designed contact lenses.  When vision is no longer satisfactory with glasses or contact lenses, surgery is recommended.   This may be accomplished with newer laser surgeries or intra-corneal implants, but still often requires a corneal transplant.

If sudden swelling occurs, your ophthalmologist may prescribe eye drops for temporary relief.  However there are no medications that prevent progression of the disease.

If a corneal transplant is necessary, vision usually improves.  As in any eye surgery, complications such as rejection, infection and loss of vision can occur, so results cannot be guaranteed.