Keratoconus Causes, Treatment & Surgery

The word Keratoconus is formed by two Greek words: kerato, meaning cornea, and konos, meaning cone. Keratoconus is a condition in which the shape of the cornea, which is usually round, is distorted, developing a cone-shaped bulge, resulting in harm to vision. Progression of the condition depends on the patient’s age at the time of the onset. The earlier the onset, the faster keratoconus progresses. The condition is always bilateral and asymmetric - meaning that it affects both eyes, however one eye may be more affected than the other.

What causes Keratoconus?

Keratoconus is an inherited condition that sometimes skips generations. Its onset is usually during puberty and is often related to allergies (hay fever, asthma and eczema). The cornea is a bit more elastic than normal and tends to alter in shape and thin out becoming cone shaped. Rubbing the eyes can aggravate the condition.

Keratoconus treatment

In the early stages eyeglasses with correction for astigmatism can be used. As the condition evolves, the increase in corneal thinning and bulging causes a high irregular astigmatism. Once the use of eyeglasses is not effective, correction is achieved through the use of contact lenses, often rigid gas-permeable contact lenses or hybrid lenses with a hard centre or soft skirt. Piggy backing a hard lens on a soft lens is also a good option and large specially made Scleral Lenses are also an option.