Keratoconus

Keratoconus is a progressive eye disease that causes thinning and the reshaping of the cornea, which is the front part of your eye. In healthy eyes, the cornea is dome shaped and clear whereas in an eye with keratoconus, the cornea begins to bulge like a cone.

This means that light can no longer focus on the retina, which causes vision to become distorted and blurry. The condition affects one in 1,000 people and is most often diagnosed in teens and young adults.

Understanding symptoms

Symptoms of keratoconus may change over time. They can also differ between each eye. Early symptoms are generally mild and can include:

• light sensitivity
• blurry vision
• eye swelling
• redness
• glare
• straight lines appearing wavy.

The condition typically progresses over time. In its later stages, symptoms can include:

• discomfort when wearing contact lenses
• increased near-sightedness
• astigmatism
• increased blurred or distorted vision.

What causes keratoconus?

Although the exact cause of keratoconus is unknown, the following factors are believed to contribute to its development:

• genetics
• eye trauma
• other eye diseases
• osteogenesis imperfecta
• eye allergies
• excessive eye rubbing
• Down’s syndrome

How is keratoconus treated?

In the early stages of the condition, keratoconus can be treated by wearing glasses or contact lenses in order to correct distorted or blurry vision. In addition, we are one of the few practices in the South East of Ireland that offers specialised contact lenses for keratoconus.

These can be fitted using a corneal topographer to map out the eyes.

Surgery may be required if the condition has advanced quite far. If left undiagnosed and untreated keratoconus can cause discomfort, blurry vision, increased glare, and difficulty seeing things in bright light.

Booking your eye exam

Regular eye exams are an important part of maintaining eye health and ensuring vision is the best it can be. and these can be booked online. Although routine techniques such as retinoscopy can help us detect signs of keratoconus, the best way to diagnose the condition is through a topographer and slit lamp as this shows us the actual shape of the cornea in high magnification.

If you are wearing keratoconus contact lenses, check-ups can help us monitor the condition and decide what treatment is needed, or if the condition has progressed and it’s time to refer you to the hospital eye department.