Is keratoconus a serious disease?

Keratoconus can be dangerous if laser vision correction surgery such as LASIK is performed on the eye, because it can make the condition worse. Anyone who has even a small degree of keratoconus should not have laser vision correction surgery, unless recommended by the doctor in very specific circumstances.

Can keratoconus be cured without surgery?

There are many Keratoconus doctors, especially here in the Los Angeles area, who want to get you onto their operating table as quickly as possible for a corneal surgery of one type or another, but what we find is that most patients can be treated non-surgically and enjoy a happy, normal life.

Can I go blind from keratoconus?

Keratoconus is a condition where the cornea becomes thin and stretched near its center, causing it to bulge forward into a conical shape. As a result vision becomes distorted. Keratoconus does not cause total blindness, however, without treatment it can lead to significant vision impairment.

What does a person with keratoconus see?

Individuals with keratoconus often experience near-sightedness, blurry vision, distorted images, and extreme glare when viewing lights, especially at night. The condition is usually not painful, but can have a significant impact on an individual’s visual acuity.

What is keratoconus and how is it treated?

This exam works best when keratoconus is in its early stages, as it shows any distortions or scarring on the cornea. Eyeglasses and soft contact lenses are the usual treatment for those with mild keratoconus, but this disease is progressive and inevitably thins the cornea, giving it an increasingly irregular shape.

Can keratoconus cause blurred vision?

This can cause blurry, distorted vision. Keratoconus (ker-uh-toe-KOH-nus) occurs when your cornea — the clear, dome-shaped front surface of your eye — thins and gradually bulges outward into a cone shape. A cone-shaped cornea causes blurred vision and may cause sensitivity to light and glare.

Can you wear contact lenses with keratoconus?

In some people with keratoconus, the cornea becomes scarred or wearing contact lenses becomes difficult. In these cases, surgery might be necessary. Eyeglasses or soft contact lenses. Glasses or soft contact lenses can correct blurry or distorted vision in early keratoconus.

What is corneal implant surgery for keratoconus?

During this surgery, your doctor places tiny, clear, crescent-shaped plastic inserts (intracorneal ring segments) into your cornea to flatten the cone, support the cornea’s shape and improve vision. Corneal inserts can restore a more normal corneal shape, slow progress of keratoconus and reduce the need for a cornea transplant.