What is Keratoconus?
Keratoconus is an ocular condition in which the cornea weakens and acquires a conical shape. This is often accompanied by thinning of this part of the cornea, and imperfections in the corneal curvature (astigmatism), which can become increasingly irregular and difficult to correct with glasses and conventional soft contact lenses.
Keratoconus usually occurs in both eyes, but due to significant asymmetry, many patients only notice impaired vision when their stronger eye is affected. By then the condition may already have caused severe and permanent loss of vision in the other eye. The condition usually begins in the late teens or early twenties. Keratoconus is much more common than previously thought. Recent studies have demonstrated that as many as 1 in 500 people may be affected by keratoconus.
Early forms of the disease can be undetected unless advanced scans of the surface of the eye are performed. For mild cases of keratoconus, eyeglasses or soft contact lenses may provide the patient with clear and comfortable vision. For moderate to advanced cases of keratoconus, eyeglasses or soft contact lenses will not provide clear vision, but specialty contact lenses can provide great vision!
