What is Keratoconus?
Keratoconus is a progressive thinning and protrusion of the cornea of the eye. This condition involves changes observed on the surface of the cornea. As the disease progresses, the cornea becomes thinner and takes on a cone shape, resulting in a decrease in visual acuity for patients.
Patients often experience increased sensitivity to light, the perception of halos (rings of light), and exhibit myopia. Keratoconus typically progresses very slowly and may stop suddenly at any stage. However, if it develops rapidly, it can lead to further distortion and thinning of the cornea.
In most cases, the condition affects both eyes, although this is not always the case. It is rare for one eye to be less affected or not affected at all.
Causes and Demographics of Keratoconus
Keratoconus is a non-inflammatory and painless condition of the cornea. If all layers are affected, it is referred to as progressive dystrophy, which is an abnormal development of the cornea. Although this condition has been known for a long time, the exact causes of its appearance are not yet fully clarified.
A genetic factor is noticeable as the disease often appears among relatives, indicating some heritability. Risk factors are also not well understood.
Approximately 0.5% of the global population suffers from keratoconus, which typically manifests between the ages of 20 and 30. However, it can also appear in teenagers or older individuals in rare cases. Keratoconus is observed in all countries of the world, and the national origin of the patient does not influence the clinical picture.
Key Features of the Condition
The two main characteristics of keratoconus are:
- Progression: The gradual thinning and distortion of the cornea.
- Low Vision: The initial signs of keratoconus manifest as a reduction in vision, distortions, halos, and excessive sensitivity to light. There may also be double vision (diplopia) or multiple images, as well as reduced night vision.
Typically, the thinning of the cornea lasts five to ten years before stabilizing. Often, the two eyes may not be affected equally. The extremely rapid development of the condition, where fluid from the eye’s chamber flows into the cornea and clouds it, is rather rare. In such cases, it is referred to as “acute keratoconus,” which differs from other forms of the condition in that it causes pain for the patient.
The condition of keratoconus is usually divided into four stages, with stage IV showing tears and scars of the posterior cornea, which worsen visual acuity to the extent that only corneal transplantation can help.
In the early stages, changes to the surface of the cornea can still be compensated for with glasses. Due to the distortion of the shape of the cornea, myopia and astigmatism are intensified, and visual acuity decreases. Unfortunately, due to the protrusion and curvature of the cornea, it becomes impossible in advanced stages to correct blurred vision using glasses.
As the disease progresses, the distortion of the image becomes more pronounced. When the condition of the eyes worsens, the best possible solution is the use of keratoconus contact lenses.
Thanks to the latest research methods and advanced technologies, it is now possible to correct stages I to III of keratoconus with special contact lenses. For this purpose, rigid keratoconus lenses are used. These special contact lenses allow patients to achieve optimal vision.
Keratoconus and Correction
If keratoconus is still in the early stages, changes in the surface of the cornea can usually be compensated for with glasses. Soft contact lenses are also suitable for correcting astigmatism and myopia caused by the protrusion.
If the clinical picture worsens, rigid and oxygen-permeable contact lenses are used. In the final stage of the condition and in particularly rapidly progressing cases, only keratoplasty (corneal transplantation) can help.
How Can Rigid Contact Lenses Correct My Vision?
If keratoconus is present, light does not enter the eye as a beam but scatters. As a result, the patient perceives everything as blurry. When a rigid contact lens is placed on the eye, it floats in the tear fluid that exists between the cornea and the lens, compensating for the irregularities of the surface.
Because rigid contact lenses exert pressure on the cornea, the tear fluid under the lens remains stable, thus allowing for a high degree of vision correction. While 100% visual acuity may not be achieved using the lenses, this residual error is usually only noticeable in the dark when the pupils are fully dilated.
Keratoconus and Contact Lenses as a Solution
There are various types of contact lenses that can be used to treat keratoconus. Nowadays, oxygen-permeable, rigid contact lenses are most commonly used. These lenses have the following properties:
- They correct the myopia and astigmatism caused by keratoconus.
- They ensure that the eyes are supplied with oxygen.
- They are easy to use.
- They can be adjusted separately for each eye to allow for optimal correction of the optical error, even in difficult cases.
Corneal Topography in Our Stores
Our stores in Mavili Square and Victoria Square are equipped with state-of-the-art topography systems for detailed examination of corneal irregularities and the correct application of contact lenses. All types of contact lenses can be customized for the patient. New technologies and measurement techniques allow us to produce lenses with decentered optics as well as spherical, astigmatic (toric), and asymmetric lenses for each patient.
You can call us, and we will be happy to schedule an appointment for corneal topography and the application of the appropriate contact lenses for each case of keratoconus.
Contact Us:
Mavili Square, Dorilaiou 5, Athens
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Phone: 210 64 32 095
Mobile: 694 64 31 165
Victoria Square, Aristotelous 79, Athens
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Phone: 210 88 30 308[:]
