The progressive eye disease Keratoconus refers to a situation in which the cornea which is usually round starts to get thin and bulges into a cone like shape. Light gets deflected through this cone as it crosses the light sensitive area named retina to enter the eye which causes a distorted vision.
Commonly, this problem of vision due to Keratoconus is experienced in early 20s or the teen age. There are various symptoms and signs that can help you diagnose the problem. The irregular shape of cornea can cause the following:
- Progressive nearsightedness
- Distortion of vision
- Blurred vision
- Irregular astigmatism
- Sensitivity to light
- Frequent changes in eyeglass numbers
Wondering what can cause a change in the shape of cornea? Here is the answer.
According to the researches conducted in this field, Keratoconus is primarily a result of the weakening of the corneal tissue that can cause imbalancement of enzymes in cornea. Because of this imbalance, cornea becomes more prone to oxidative damage due to compounds called free radicals which makes it weak and forward bulging.
There can be genetic predisposition of this damaged and weakened cornea which is why this disease can be seen in a few members of the same family.
There can be more associations of Keratoconus which can include:
- Excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays
- Excessive eye rubbing
- Contact lenses being fitted poorly
- Irritation in the eye
Although, Keratoconus cannot be prevented in most of the cases but there are certain preventive measures that one should take.
- Rubbing the eye vigorously each day can result in the damage of cornea and later it can also lead to Keratoconus. There are no scientific connections of rubbing of eye to the Keratoconus disease but still doing it regularly and vigorously can cause adverse impacts Therefore, one should be very careful while rubbing the eye.
- Contact lenses are often made of hard materials. Using such products may require its users to be very careful about the size and fitting of these lenses. An ill-fitted contact lense can result in problems of various types in the eye. Thus, if you are amongst the users of such rigid contact lenses, make sure that you consult your Ophthalmologist in time.
Possible Treatments for Keratoconus
As there aren’t many preventive measures available for Keratoconus, people who have been diagnosed with this problem should get through a proper treatment. The treatment options for Keratoconus includes:
- Using contact lenses can be a good way of treating Keratoconus. People undergoing this problem can find several kinds of contact lenses in order to treat this problem. Based on their needs and the advice of the physician, they can choose from rigid gas permeable contact lenses, hybrid lenses, custom contact lense, piggyback lenses or sclera contact lenses etc. The patients can often choose from soft contact lenses or eyeglasses.
- Another option is to go for a surgery. The patients suffering from Keratoconus can be treated by corneal inserts or corneal transplants. Taking assistance from the specialists of the field can help the patients reduce any kind of risk and can ensure positive results.
Knowing about the problem is much better than being ignorant about it. Adequate knowledge and research can help the patients get required treatment within time.