What It Is
Keratoconus is a progressive condition in which the cornea gradually thins and bulges outward into an irregular, cone-like shape, rather than maintaining its normal smooth, dome-like curve.
How It Develops
In keratoconus, the structural fibers that normally give the cornea its strength and shape gradually weaken, causing the cornea to bulge forward in an irregular way over time. This distorts how light enters the eye, leading to increasingly blurred and distorted vision. The exact cause isn't fully understood, though genetic factors, chronic eye rubbing, and certain underlying conditions are thought to play a role, and it typically begins during the teenage years or early adulthood.
General Symptoms
Common symptoms of keratoconus include gradually worsening and distorted vision, increased sensitivity to light and glare, and frequent changes in eyeglass prescription as the condition progresses. Vision changes are usually most noticeable in one eye initially, though both eyes are often eventually affected to some degree.
General Treatment Approaches
In earlier stages, keratoconus can often be managed with glasses or specialized contact lenses designed to compensate for the irregular corneal shape. A procedure called corneal cross-linking is commonly used to help stop or slow the progression of the condition. In more advanced cases where vision is significantly affected, corneal transplant surgery may be considered.
Background
Keratoconus was first clearly described as a distinct condition in the mid-19th century, as ophthalmologists began to more precisely characterize this particular pattern of corneal thinning and distortion. The development of corneal cross-linking as a treatment in the early 2000s marked a significant advance, offering, for the first time, a way to directly slow the disease's progression rather than only correcting the resulting vision changes.