Keratoconus

Keratoconus, Greek for "cone-shaped cornea," is a condition in which the cornea thins and develops a cone-shaped bulge. When the shape of the cornea is distorted, it can impair visual acuity. In early stages, a patient's symptoms may be no different from those of other myopic patients. Unfortunately, as the disease progresses, vision deteriorates to the point of blindness. Some patients develop sensitivity to light (photophobia), eye strain, and itching of the eyes. Another symptom of keratoconus is the perception of multiple “ghost images," which may cause wavering copies of images to be seen. The cause of keratoconus is unknown, but some researchers believe that genetics play a role.

During the early stages of keratoconus, vision can be corrected with the use of glasses. Later, soft or rigid gas permeable contact lenses may be required. When the condition has progressed far enough to the point that contacts are no longer effective, a corneal transplant is recommended. A corneal transplant involves removing the diseased cornea and replacing it with a compatible, healthy donor cornea. See cornea transplants for more details about this procedure.

Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking Treatments

A revolutionary, non-invasive, one-hour corneal disease treatment is expected to be approved soon by the FDA. Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking has shown to be as a safe and effective treatment for progressive keratoconus and post-refractive surgery corneal ectasia in many unrelated studied throughout the world. The FDA study, which began in 2008, is expected to result in a thumbs up from the US medical authority in the near future. To learn more about this procedure, call our office at 713-521-3937 to arrange an evaluation for treatment.