Keratoconus generally begins at puberty and progresses into the mid-30s. There is no way to predict how quickly the disease will progress, or if it will progress at all. Keratoconus typically affects both eyes, with one being more severely affected than the other.
Although keratoconus has been studied for decades, it remains poorly understood. The definitive cause of keratoconus is unknown, though it is believed that the predisposition to develop the disease is present at birth. A common finding in keratoconus is the loss of collagen in the cornea. This may be caused by some imbalance between production and destruction of the corneal tissue by the corneal cells.
The following may increase the risk of developing keratoconus:
Other symptoms of keratoconus include:
Glare and halos around lights, Difficulty seeing at night, Eye irritation or headaches associated with eye pain, Increased sensitivity to bright light, Sudden worsening or clouding of vision
Many keratoconus patients are unaware they have the disease. The earliest symptom is a slight blurring of vision or progressively poor vision that is not easily corrected.
In addition to a complete medical history and eye exam, your eye care professional may perform the following tests to diagnose keratoconus:
- Corneal topography/tomography.
This is the most accurate way to diagnose early keratoconus and follow its progression. A computerized image is taken that creates a map of curvature and thickness of the cornea.
- Slit-lamp exam.
This examination of the cornea can help detect abnormalities of shape and transparency of the cornea.
- Pachymetry.
This test is used to measure the thinnest areas of the cornea.
Treatment of keratoconus focuses on correction of vision and depends on the stage of the disease.
