The cornea, or clear outer lens or the “windshield” of the eye has a dome shape, similar to that of a ball. When the structure isn’t strong enough to maintain its round shape, it bulges outward, forming a cone. Keratoconus is the medical term for this condition.

Symptoms of this condition include:

• Blurry/ distorted vision
• Sudden clouding of vision
• Frequent prescription changes
• Sensitivity to light
• History of eye rubbing
• History or eye allergy

If your eyesight is fast deteriorating, it could be due to an uneven curvature of the eye. Visit your eye doctor (ophthalmologist or optometrist) immediately. Doctors will generally test for signs of keratoconus even during normal eye exams

Treatment for keratoconus

Treatment for keratoconus is determined by the severity of your condition and how quickly it is progressing. You’ll most likely begin with new glasses which should clear things up if you have a mild case if there is no progression. If not, your doctor might suggest corneal collagen cross-linking procedure to halt / delay the bulging and further thinning of the cornea or a corneal transplant in advanced cases with poor vision.

Corneal collagen cross-linking: Doctors use eyedrop medication and ultraviolet (UV) radiation to strengthen the tissues in your cornea in corneal cross-linking. The objective is to prevent the cornea from bulging any further. You will be recommended a special contact lens for visual improvement a few months later once the cornea stabilises after treatment.

Cornea transplant: This is a very safe operation that is successful in more than 90% of cases. Here the doctor will remove the centre of your cornea and replace it with a donor cornea. You will be recommended contact lenses after this procedure until the replaced cornea has set itself.

If you have been diagnosed with this condition and are looking for different treatment approaches or a second option, contact eye specialists at Prasad Netralaya today. Fill out the form below to get a callback.