Keratoconus

The specialized team of ophthalmologists at CVP Physicians Dayton offer the latest diagnostic testing and treatment options for keratoconus.

Keratoconus Symptoms

Symptoms of keratoconus often begin to appear between the teenage years and age 30. Keratoconus often affects both eyes, but the rate at which the corneas become cone-shaped can differ. This means that keratoconus symptoms can differ from eye to eye.

Early stages of keratoconus may cause symptoms such as:

• Mildly blurred vision
• Distorted vision (often causing straight lines to appear wavy)
• Light sensitivity and glare
• Redness
• Swelling

As keratoconus progresses, symptoms may include:

• Increasingly blurred and distorted vision
• An inability to wear contact lenses
• Streaking
• Flaring
• Ghost images
• Halos

In individuals with advanced keratoconus, the cornea may become scarred and diminish in clarity, causing vision to be even more blurred and distorted.

Keratoconus Cause

The cause of keratoconus is unknown. However, it is believed to be an inherited condition and can be accelerated by chronic eye inflammation or eye rubbing due to allergies or irritants. Currently, there is no known way to prevent it.

Keratoconus Diagnosis and Treatment

Keratoconus can go undetected in its early stages because the changes to the cornea are not visibly apparent to the untrained observer. Many times, it is not investigated further until there is a pattern of continually changing vision that eventually cannot be easily corrected with glasses or contact lenses. At that point, the more detailed testing is performed to determine if symptoms are due to keratoconus or another condition/issue.

Keratoconus can range from mild to severe. There are a variety of treatment options, depending on the severity of the condition. Mild cases can be successfully treated with glasses or specially designed contact lenses.

There are treatment options for advanced cases including minimally-invasive procedures (intracorneal rings, collagen cross-linking, corneal implants) and corneal transplant surgeries.

¹ American Academy of Ophthalmologists. What is Keratoconus? Available: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-keratoconus. Accessed June 10, 2020.