Keratoconus
Keratoconus is a condition that is associated with thinning and
distortion of the cornea, which is the front clear surface of the
eye (See Photo). Keratoconus occurs
in approximately 50-200 out of every 100,000 people. Keratoconus may
run in the family. Keratoconus can occur as an isolated condition,
or may be associated with other eye conditions or general health
problems including aniridia, retinitis pigmentosa, Down's syndrome,
and Marfan's syndrome.
As the cornea becomes thin in keratoconus, the surface of the cornea
becomes uneven and your vision may become blurry. This is a
condition that generally affects both eyes but one may be more
severely distorted than the other
(See Photo). Patients who wear
contact lenses may find that their contacts do not work well and do
not seem to fit properly. Vision may also appear blurred with
glasses as well. Over time, progressive thinning of the cornea may
lead to blurred vision that cannot be corrected by contact lenses or
glasses. If thinning causes tears in the microscopic membranes of
the cornea, then scarring can result and cause vision to be even
more blurred. At this stage, corneal transplant surgery may be the
only option to improve vision.
If you have keratoconus, you should keep regularly scheduled
appointments with your eye doctor in order to monitor the health of
your corneas.
Keratoconus Support Groups:
Center for Keratoconus
http://www.kcenter.org/
National Keratoconus Foundation
http://www.nkcf.org/
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