What is keratoconus?

The cornea is the outermost part of the eye and has a spherical shape with a thickness of about 0.52 mm, and it gets thicker near its edges. The cornea plays a vital role in the vision process. Light enters the cornea through the lacrimal membrane fluid before reaching the lens and then to the retina, where chemical and electrical signals are sent to the brain to form images. The cornea is the part that protects the different parts of the eye from external factors such as winds, dust, and others. In typical cases, the cornea forms a dome or a slightly convex surface.

What is keratoconus?

The definition of keratoconus is part of the answer to knowing the causes of keratoconus, as keratoconus is a disease that results from the weakness of the tissues of the cornea, which makes it lose its semi-circular shape with any pressure on its tissues and then becomes convex in shape, which necessarily leads to refraction. The light is improperly placed on it; therefore, the retina does not receive this light as it should, causing the image to become blurred. This change that occurs in the cornea's surface does not occur in one moment and does not remain in one position after the change. Still, it occurs gradually, and this disease continues to evolve and change the shape of the cornea until, over time, it damages the corneal tissue due to its severe thinning. Patients left untreated or who have not detected this problem first continue to experience severe discomfort because eyeglasses do not fit them soon after wearing them. This deterioration may be rapid if the patient does not avoid some of the keratoconus causes.

Keratoconus Diagnosis

An ophthalmologist will perform an eye exam along with a corneal imaging test to diagnose keratoconus because the cornea in people with keratoconus is abnormally thin and distorted. The thinnest and most convex parts of the affected corneas are often out of place, and in severe injuries, corneal scarring is possible. Some experience significant blurry vision despite changing glasses. In contrast, others suffer from a rupture of Descemet'sDescemet's membrane, which causes inflammation of the cornea and can lead to rapid deterioration of vision and eye pain.

Causes of keratoconus

Scientists are still unable to determine the leading cause of this disease, but they believe that these factors may increase the chances of infection:
Heredity may play a role in this condition, mainly if the family's medical history includes previous injuries, including the parent's.
Eye allergy.
Excessively rubbing the eyes.
Lack of antioxidants inside the eye for some reason.
It is worth noting that the shape of the cornea begins to change to become closer to a cone when the collagen bonds in the eye weaken as a result of things such as a lack of antioxidants that strengthen these bonds.

Keratoconus Symptoms

As the cornea begins to take a conical shape, these symptoms begin to appear in the patient:
Vision problems include blurry vision and visible halos around everything the patient sees at night.
A scar in the eye's cornea, noticeable swelling of the eyeball and redness.
Seeing straight lines as crooked or wavy.
Sudden problems are seen without warning.
Remarkable sensitivity to different light sources.
Inability to wear contact lenses as usual.
Seeing surrounding objects as if they had one, two or more copies.
It is worth noting that the symptoms often appear in one eye first and then appear in the other eye. The symptoms in both eyes are not necessarily the same, and symptoms may appear suddenly or disappear suddenly, as the matter varies from patient to patient.

Keratoconus treatment

The search for keratoconus causes is often related to either the desire to prevent these causes or to treat them, if any. As we already know, keratoconus results from a weakness in the tissues of the cornea, so the first step in treatment is to strengthen these tissues or support them in a way that does not allow them to stretch or convex as a result of internal or external pressure.
Early cases
The first methods available to treat keratoconus are:
Scleral lenses: These are installed on the eye's surface, and they work to support the cornea's surface and prevent it from stretching.

Keratoconus stabilization process: This process is considered one of the essential methods used in the treatment of keratoconus, as it depends mainly on strengthening the bonds in the corneal tissues by placing vitamin B12 in specific quantities on the cornea and then shining ultraviolet rays on the surface of the cornea to increase The speed of the vitamin's interaction with collagen bonds, and thus the cornea becomes solid and tolerant to intraocular pressure, so the disease does not develop again. These two methods are only valid in early cases of keratoconus, which the specialist doctor determines through examinations.

Intermediate cases

Intermediate keratoconus cases are treated by implanting keratoconus rings, which are rings that are implanted inside the corneal tissue, working to restore the shape of the cornea to its normal position, that is, to get rid of the excessive curvature in it. This procedure may also add to the corneal stabilization process.
Late cases
In late cases of keratoconus, where the cornea's surface is fragile or its tissues are damaged, the doctor has no other option but a corneal transplant. It is a process in which the damaged parts of the cornea or the entire cornea are removed with healthy corneal tissue from a deceased donor. 
Intracorneal ring implantation
The ring made of polymethyl methacrylate is implanted into the corneal tissue to reduce refraction caused by keratoconus. Low refraction can enable the patient to use contact lenses. This type of treatment is suitable for patients with severe cases of keratoconus for whom corneal scarring is not a problem. The implantation of intracorneal rings leads to a thinning of the cornea, thus improving the level of astigmatism. Because the implant is a surgical procedure, the patient should not allow water to enter the eyes for at least two weeks after surgery. In addition, the patient should refrain from lying on his side or rubbing his eye to avoid removing the ring.
corneal transplant
Corneal transplant surgery involves removing and replacing the affected cornea with a healthy, donated cornea. Depending on the severity of the patient's condition and the wishes of the patient and the ophthalmologist responsible for his care, the procedure may involve replacing the entire cornea or specific layers. Corneal transplantation should only be used in cases of keratoconus in which contact lenses and intracorneal ring implants have not adequately improved vision. In addition, this type of treatment should be considered in cases of keratoconus in which corneal scarring has significantly affected the eye see's vision.

For more details about the causes of keratoconus and the available treatment methods, and to receive advice and a proper diagnosis. You can contact our following numbers shown on the website, where the CERITAMED team will answer all your questions.