Keratoconus is a degenerative disease that causes deformation of the cornea, which is the transparent membrane that protects the eye, making it thinner and curved, acquiring the shape of a small cone.
Generally, keratoconus appears around the age of 16 with symptoms such as difficulty in seeing close up and sensitivity to light, which happen due to the deformation of the eye's membrane, which ends up defocusing the light rays inside the eye.
Keratoconus is not always curable because it depends on the degree of involvement of the eye, in the first and second degree the use of lenses can help, but in the most severe cases, grades three and four, they may need corneal transplant surgery, for example.
Main symptoms
Symptoms of keratoconus can include:
- Blurry vision; Hypersensitivity to light; See "ghost" images; Double vision; Headache; Itchy eye.
These symptoms are very similar to any other vision problem, however, the vision tends to worsen very quickly, requiring constant change of glasses and lenses. Thus, the ophthalmologist may be suspicious of the presence of keratoconus and have an exam to assess the shape of the cornea of the eye. If the shape of the eye changes, the diagnosis of keratoconus is usually made and a computer is used to assess the degree of curvature of the cornea, helping to adjust the treatment.
Can keratoconus blind?
Keratoconus usually does not cause complete blindness, however, with the progressive worsening of the disease and corneal alteration, the sighted image becomes very blurred, ending up hindering daily activities.
Treatment for keratoconus
Treatment for keratoconus should always be done by an ophthalmologist and usually starts with the use of glasses and rigid lenses to correct the degree of vision.
In addition, people with keratoconus should avoid rubbing their eyes, as this action can accelerate corneal deformation. If itching or burning is frequent, it is recommended to inform the ophthalmologist to start treatment with some eye drops.
When surgery is needed
Over time, the cornea undergoes more changes and therefore, the vision worsens to a point where the glasses and lenses can no longer correct the image. In these situations, one of the following types of surgery can be used:
- Crosslinking: it is a technique that can be used together with the lenses or glasses since the diagnosis is made. It consists of the application of vitamin B12 directly to the eye and exposure to UV-A light, to promote stiffening of the cornea, preventing it from continuing to change shape; Corneal ring implant: it is a small surgery of about 20 minutes in which the ophthalmologist places a small ring in the eye that helps to make the cornea smoother, preventing the problem from getting worse.
Usually these surgical techniques do not cause the keratoconus to heal, but they help to prevent the disease from getting worse. Thus, after surgery, it may be necessary to continue using glasses or lenses to improve vision.
The only way to cure keratoconus is to have a corneal transplant, however, due to the risk of this type of surgery, it is usually only done when the degree of change is very high or when the keratoconus worsens even after other types of surgery. See more about how the surgery is done, how is the recovery and the care that should be taken.
