El keratoconus it is a degenerative disease that causes the progressive malformation of the cornea and causes distorted vision.
As a general rule, it affects young people and adolescents, and can be caused by family inheritance, overexposure to the sun or by rubbing the eyes sharply.
Rapid detection of keratoconus is very important to treat the disease as soon as possible and to avoid causing irreparable damage to visual health.
En Área Oftalmológica Avanzada We explain what keratoconus is, its causes, its symptoms and the most recommended treatment.
Keratoconus definition
To understand what keratoconus is, you must know that the cornea is the transparent membrane that allows light to pass from the outside to the inside of the eyeball.
We can define the keratoconus like a degenerative illness which causes a alteration of the cornea through decrease in thickness turning the cornea into a very thin tissue. Keratoconus causes distorted vision of images, decreased vision, myopia y irregular astigmatism.
In addition, it also causes corneal bulge and causes the membrane to take on a cone-like shape. This malformation favors that the rays of light that enter the eye are deflected so that they do not affect the retina, thus causing distorted vision.
Keratoconus is a condition associated with the alteration of the corneal collagen and it causes myopia y astigmatism oblique and irregular corneal.
Causes
The exact cause of this corneal disease is unknown. However, there are a number of factors that have been identified as possible causes of keratoconus:
- Genetic factor. Many keratoconus patients have a family history of this disease.
- Overexposure to sunlight.
- Scratching your eyes very sharply and for an extended period of time.
- Eye trauma.
- Use of contact lenses poorly adapted.
- Chronic eye irritation.
- Hormonal factor that alters systemic collagen.
Symptom
Keratoconus does not cause any symptoms in its initial phase. However, as the corneal thickness decreases and the cornea takes on a conical shape, the keratoconus symptoms:
- Blurred vision.
- Double vision.
- Distorted view of objects.
- Photophobia or sensitivity to light.
- Myopia and irregular astigmatism.
- Frequent changes in graduation.
Keratoconus treatment
At present, there are several alternatives to treatment for keratoconus. The most effective are:
- Contact lenses. In mild cases, corneal curvature can be corrected through custom soft lenses.
- Gas permeable contact lenses. They are special lenses that cover the cornea to flatten the membrane and correct its irregular shape.
Among the options for keratoconus operation we find:
- keratoplasty conductive. Wave energies are applied at different points on the cornea.
- Intrastromal and intracorneal rings. These rings are placed at the thickness of the cornea to accommodate its curvature and correct irregular astigmatism.
- Cross-linking surgery. This is one of the most revolutionary treatments for keratoconus. It allows to combine the use of intracorneal rings and phakic lenses. CrossLinking allows to strengthen the collagen bonds of the cornea.
- Corneal transplant. It is performed in the most advanced phase of keratoconus and consists of replacing all or certain layers of the cornea with new tissue from a donor.
If you think you have any symptoms of keratoconus, do not hesitate to contact our doctors at Área Oftalmológica Avanzada. We are happy to help you!
