Keratoconus Treatment Options

People suffering from keratoconus will usually experience halos, double vision, and sudden changes in their vision at both near and far distances. Keratoconus is a progressive disease with varying stages that need to be managed properly.  

The early stages can be treated with eyeglasses to correct for the reduced visual acuity. As the disease progresses, there are further changes in the surface of the cornea that may require a rigid, or hard, contact lens that are used to protect and strengthen the eye and alter the way that the light will enter the eye. However, some individuals may suffer from discomfort in wearing contact lenses due to the irregularity in the surface of the cornea, so more invasive procedures may be required.

The more common surgical procedures available are 1) Stromal Intacs, 2) Corneal Collagen Cross Linking, 3) Photo-Therapeutic Keratectomy, PTK, or 4) cornea transplants for the most severe cases. Stromal intacs Corneal Implants are an ophthalmic medical device designed to flatten the corneal cone as well as correct myopia and astigmatism associated with keratoconus. Corneal Collagen Cross Linking with Riboflavin (CXL or C3-R) is an in-office eye procedure that strengthens the cornea that's weak secondary to keratoconus. PTK is a procedure that will allow for the smoothing of the cornea surface as a new epithelial layer grows to protects the cornea. In addition, there are full or partial cornea transplant available. The less invasive procedures are the partial transplants and more invasive are the full transplants. As expected, the more invasive corneal transplants require a longer recovery period. Schedule an appointment today for a consultation at Beverly Hills Optometry (http://www.bheyeguy.com) if you are suffering from the symptoms of Keratoconus and want to understand your treatment options.