What is Keratoconus?

• Posted on: Jun 18 2015
• By: editor

Were you aware that the crystal clear, dome shaped covering over your eye is called the cornea? It consists of 5 different layers, all about the thickness of a credit card or thinner! That clear shield provides about 2/3 of your eyes focusing power. For most people the cornea is a dome shaped surface, round like a ball. For others, that dome is not enough to hold the round shape and so it bulges out in a “cone” like shape, the formation of this cone is what we call, Keratoconus.

Keratoconus can be genetic, or due to other health conditions like allergies linking with chronic eye rubbing. Most often it starts in the teenage years, although it can also take place in younger children and adults in their thirties to forties. It can be tough for a patient to distinguish what is happening with their vision because Keratoconus can either take several years, or happen very quickly. Some symptoms may include blurred vision, glare and halos, and the illusion of lights streaking.

This disease can cause fluctuations in vision as the cone shifts and re-shapes. These changes could possibly go on for decades, and for most people, both eyes are affected. Vision correction such as contact lenses or glasses may assist but for some more extreme cases a corneal transplant may be needed. This procedure involves removing the patients cornea and stitching a donor cornea into place to attempt and eliminate the shifting and shaping.

Here with Dr. Magalhaes and Associates, we have the equipment to assess a patients cornea, while mapping out the surface to assess thickness variations throughout. Call today to schedule your annual eye exam and express any concerns with our doctors.

Posted in: Blog