Keratoconus Q&A

What is keratoconus?

Keratoconus is a condition that affects your cornea, the dome-shaped, clear part of your eye. Keratoconus causes the cornea to thin and bulge outward into a cone shape, resulting in blurry vision, light sensitivity, and other vision problems. Treatment reduces your chance of severe vision issues and the need for a cornea transplant.

What are the symptoms of keratoconus?

Common symptoms of keratoconus include:

• Worsening vision

• Cloudy vision

• Blurry vision

• Distorted vision

• Bright light sensitivity

• Glare sensitivity

• Problems with night driving

• Changes in lens prescriptions
  
  

See the Alamo Eye Care team at the first sign of vision changes.

What are the risk factors for keratoconus?

While anyone can develop keratoconus, certain factors increase your risk of having it. Examples include:

• Vigorously rubbing your eyes

• Family history of keratoconus

• Hay fever or asthma

• Retinitis pigmentosa

• Down syndrome

• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
  
  

The cause of keratoconus isn’t entirely clear. However, 1 in 10 people with this eye condition has a parent with keratoconus. Complications that can develop from keratoconus include cornea scarring and worsening vision problems. You may eventually need a cornea transplant if it’s left untreated.

How does my doctor diagnose keratoconus?

To determine if you have keratoconus, your eye doctor discusses your symptoms and medical history. Then, they complete a comprehensive eye exam, assess your vision, and may complete specialized tests to evaluate the shape of your cornea.

Your eye doctor also shines a light beam on your eye’s surface and uses imaging tests to get a detailed view of your cornea.

What are common keratoconus treatments?

Your keratoconus treatment plan depends on the severity of your condition. Your specialist might recommend:

Vision correction lenses

Wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses corrects vision problems associated with keratoconus. The Alamo Eye Care team can fit you for specialty contacts that maximize comfort and help you see clearly.

Corneal collagen cross-linking

Corneal collagen cross-linking is a keratoconus treatment in which your eye doctor saturates your cornea with riboflavin eye drops and ultraviolet light. Doing so stiffens the cornea to prevent further shape changes and reduce the risk of continued vision loss.

Surgery

In the advanced stages of keratoconus, you may need a cornea transplant or procedure that preserves the inside lining of the cornea before undergoing a full-thickness cornea transplant.

​​​​​​​Don’t let keratoconus progress to the point of severe vision problems. Call the Alamo Eye Care office to schedule an eye evaluation or book one online today.