In normal physiology, your cornea, the part of your eye that concentrates the light that enters your eye, is dome-shaped and clear. If you have keratoconus, your cornea swells up into a cone and emaciates. When the cornea’s shape changes, the rays of light become out of focus and your vision then becomes askew and blurry which can make your daily activities challenging to perform. If you want to further understand keratoconus, keep reading.

Causes

When collagen fibers in your eye weaken, they become unreliable in holding the shape of your cornea and can cause the cornea to bulge into a cone shape. Experts have concluded in their studies that cornea cells produce destructive waste products. Antioxidants in your cornea eradicate the waste to protect the collagen. Keratoconus happens when the levels of antioxidants in your cornea decrease.

Studies show that genetics can also be a factor in the development of keratoconus. So if you have been diagnosed with the condition and have children, it’s best to have their eyes examined for this condition beginning around age 10.

Medical problems, one's age, or habits like eye rubbing can also contribute to the progression of keratoconus. Keratoconus usually appears during the teenage years, but can occur in children or those up to 30 years of age. It is less frequent in individuals 40 years or older.

Symptoms

Keratoconus can affect both your eyes and can even result in dissimilar eyesight between your two eyes. Symptoms in one eye can contrast with the symptoms of the other eye and can change over time.

In early-stage keratoconus, you ma experience mildly distorted vision with waves, slightly blurry vision, swelling, redness, and elevated glare or light sensitivity.

Once you develop late-stage keratoconus symptoms, you won't be able to wear contact lenses. Also, you may have more blurred eyesight, worsening astigmatism, and increased warped vision.

Diagnosis

Your eye doctor can diagnose keratoconus through a regular eye examination where your cornea’s curvature will be measured. This will show any alteration in its shape. Your ophthalmologist may use a specialized computer in mapping the surface of your cornea.

Treatment

Experts say that keratoconus treatments depend on the symptoms you have. If you have a mild case, you will only need eyeglasses for eyesight correction. While in your later years, you may need to wear specially designed hard contact lenses in order to maintain your focus.

Other known treatments for keratoconus are corneal transplants, intacs, and collagen cross-linking. Corneal transplants require healthy corneal tissue. Intacs flatten your cornea’s curvature to correct your vision. Collagen cross-linking involves the use of special eye drops and UV light to stiffen your cornea to prevent the bulging from getting worse.

Keratoconus is a progressive eye condition that can be treated properly with the help of a licensed ophthalmologist. At West Hollywood Optometrist, we make sure you get the correct treatment for your keratoconus. For more information about this condition or if you would like to schedule an appointment, call us today at 323-651-5646. You can also have a walk-in consultation with us by visiting our clinic in Los Angeles, California.