Do you observe poor vision at night or light sensitivity is might be an indication of Keratoconus. It is a condition that impacts your eyes’ cornea (dome-shaped transparent part). Over time, the cornea gets thinner and protrudes outward, taking a cone shape. This irregular shape of the cornea can affect both of your eyes. Keratoconus brings huge vision difficulties to perform even your regular chores.
To proceed with proper Keratoconus treatment, you must clearly understand this eye condition and the ways to manage this.
This blog will discuss the symptoms, causes, and ways to deal with Keratoconus properly.
Symptoms of Keratoconus
With the onset of Keratoconus, you observe the following symptoms that may vary gradually:
- Blurred Vision: You develop haziness in your vision and have difficulty seeing things clearly.
- Distorted Vision: This is when you fail to see familiar objects in regular shapes.
- Sensitivity to Light: Under bright light, you feel discomfort and cannot focus on your work.
- Frequent Vision Fluctuation: You observe vision difficulty and get frequent prescriptions for changing eyeglasses.
If you observe the above-mentioned symptoms, you should seek immediate diagnosis. If not appropriately treated, the cornea swells suddenly and starts to scar. Due to this scarring, the cornea loses its smoothness, and you get cloudy vision.
What Causes Keratoconus?
So far, the cause for the development of keratoconus is not clear. From the observation, genetic and specific environmental factors contribute to the development of this condition. The observations conclude that around 1 out of 10 people have Keratoconus (with one parent suffering from the same disease). This gives rise to a suspicion that this eye condition is genetic.
Keratoconus is associated with the following factors:
- Age: Keratoconus is likely to start during the teenage years and is observed up to 30. This condition is not easily found in people of age 40 or above.
- Genetics: If one of your parents has this condition, you are more likely to be at higher risk of acquiring Keratoconus.
- Rubbing Eyes: When you feel itchiness, you tend to rub your eyes hard. This can break down your cornea and can accelerate the development of Keratoconus.
- Inflammation: If you have medical ailments, like allergies or asthma, there are possibilities of your cornea tissue breaking down.
How Do You Manage Keratoconus?
Proper care management is crucial to healing for patients of Keratoconus. This condition is managed in the following ways:
1. Diagnosis of the Severity of the Condition
The treatment of Keratoconus is done after a deep understanding of your medical history, age, contradictions, and other medical complexities. Diagnosis also includes the thinning of the cornea and its steeping curvature. We have entailed below detailed information about the management of this eye condition under various stages:
- Mild
If Keratoconus gets mild and has normal corneal thickness with no visible corneal tissue protruding outward, the specialists diagnose the extremity or the stage of this disease. To proceed in this condition, the cornea is mapped through corneal topographies conducted 3-6 months apart.
- Moderate
In moderate conditions where the cornea gets thinner, the doctors manage it through a therapeutic procedure named corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL or C3R). This process uses ultraviolet light and riboflavin (a chemical) to lock in corneal tissue’s thinning and prevent the disease’s further development.
2. Cross-Linking Process
The cross-linking process is performed along with inserting corneal ring segments – INTACS. These are made of a polymer or Corneal Allogenic Intrastromal Ring Segments (CAIRS), which contribute to levelling the corneal tissue and increasing its thickness to correct vision difficulties.
When Keratoconus reaches its extremity, it can be managed by a partial corneal transplant, called DALK (Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty – a treatment in which anterior corneal layers are removed and replaced with donor tissue.
Preventive Measures for Keratoconus
If you are tired of dealing with blurry vision or discomfort in your eyes, we have listed some preventive measures here:
1. Frequent Visits to Eye Specialists
Eye specialists perform a comprehensive eye examination. It is important to visit your eye care professionals to detect the severity of the diseases. Proper analysis and medications help slow down the progression of the condition.
2. Proper Eye Care
Avoid treating your eyes harshly, as it can break down your eye’s corneal tissue, which may cause vision impairment. Do not vigorously rub your eyes but pat your eyes quickly to alleviate discomfort if you feel itchiness.
3. Protection from Harmful Rays
To keep up the good health of your eyes, protecting them from the invasion of harmful ultraviolet rays is essential. You can wear sunglasses outdoors or reduce your exposure to the light outside.
4. Nutrition Intake
To combat nutrition deficiency, include all the essential vitamins and antioxidants that promote eye health, such as vitamins A, C, and E, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables. A balanced diet supports corneal strengthening, improving the health of your eyes.
5. Manage Allergies
If you have allergies, it is crucial to managing them effectively to mitigate eye irritation and inflammation. Avoid rubbing your eyes during allergies. You can use doctor-recommended eye drops and seek appropriate allergy management.
Keratoconus can significantly impact your vision while affecting your corneal tissue. Thinning of the cornea and reforming it into a distorted shape negatively impacts your vision clarity.
Healthy eyes are essential for sharp vision and overall well-being. Implementing preventive measures can help you keep your eyes in a healthy condition. You should consult your doctor before you proceed with any medications. If you seek the best eye treatment, Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospital is a wise option. With state-of-the-art facilities, their professionals offer the best services for keratoconus treatment.
Schedule your appointment right away!
Hi, I’m the Founder and Developer of Paramedics World, a blog truly devoted to Paramedics. I am a Medical Lab Tech, a Web Developer and Bibliophiliac. My greatest hobby is to teach and motivate other peoples to do whatever they wanna do in life.