Keratoconus
Corneal Thinning and Bulging
The clear dome in the front of the eye is called the “cornea”. In keratoconus, the cornea becomes thin and bulges forward. Because much of the focusing power in the eye comes from the cornea, this thinning and bulging causes significantly blurry vision. Often, blurring is only correctable with specialty contact lenses. Keratoconus often develops in a person’s teens or twenties but can also occur later in life.
Symptoms
Symptoms of keratoconus include:
- blurry vision
- distorted vision
- fluctuating vision
- light sensitivity
- eye redness or swelling
Diagnosis
Keratoconus can be diagnosed at your routine eye exam but can be easily missed in it’s earliest stages. At Focused Eye Care, we used advanced technology, called corneal topography, to map the cornea and diagnose keratoconus. Additional signs of keratoconus may be visualized under the microscope but are not obvious until later stages of the disease.
Treatment
Until recently, there has been very little we could do to slow the progression of keratoconus. However, in 2016, the FDA gave approval of corneal cross-linking for the treatment of progressive keratoconus. This is an in-office treatment utilizing liquid vitamin B2 and UV light to stiffen the cornea and slow or halt the progression of keratoconus. We co-manage with local ophthalmology offices to coordinate this treatment for patients and provide ongoing care after treatment.
Because keratoconus causes the cornea to become irregular and bulging, glasses usually will not correct the vision. Rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lenses have been the mainstay of keratoconus treatment for decades. By applying a rigid contact lens to the corneal surface, we can create a new, smooth surface to focus light into the eye, our doctors specializes in the fitting of RGP contact lenses including scleral lens designs. Scleral contacts are large diameter RGP lenses which provide optimal comfort and vision especially in cases of keratoconus.
Consultations in Buffalo Grove
Call us at (847) 243-8176 or schedule a consult online today.