If you have keratoconus, then you may have already seen an ophthalmologist. Your vision may have got obviously blurry and you may have other symptoms such as double vision and increased sensitivity to light.
If you haven't had to wear glasses or contact lenses in the past, then you may be surprised when your ophthalmologist tells you that you should start wearing lenses now. How will this affect your condition and is it the only treatment you'll need?
How Do Contact Lenses Affect Keratoconus?
Keratoconus is a condition that affects your cornea. This part of your eye should be round; however, if you have keratoconus, it changes shape. It takes on a more pronounced cone shape and starts to bulge out.
When this happens, you can't see clearly out of your eye any longer. Your cornea plays a vital role in dealing with how light gets to the retina. If the cornea is the wrong shape, it can't focus light correctly to the retina, so your acuity of vision becomes less sharp.
If you can change the shape of your cornea back towards it normal state, then your vision improves. This is where contact lenses come in. The lenses don't correct your vision as such — they correct the problem with the cornea.
So, for example, if you wear a pair of hard contact lenses, then each lens helps correct the incorrect shape of the cornea.
If you can make changes to the cornea, then the vision problems you have right now should be reduced. Your vision should become clearer and more normal.
How Likely Are You to Need Other Treatments?
Keratoconus is usually a progressive condition. While contact lenses will help you manage the problem, they won't cure it. They make it easier to live with by correcting your vision.
In some cases, lenses alone will keep your condition under control. However, in other cases, contact lenses are the first step in a longer treatment plan.
If your keratoconus gets significantly worse and your vision continues to deteriorate, then your ophthalmologist may recommend different treatments. There are a range of surgical procedures which may be more appropriate depending on how your eyes change over time.
To find out more about contact lens options and the path your keratoconus treatment might take in the future, make an appointment at an eye clinic in your area to see your ophthalmologist for treatment.
Share31 August 2020
Eye exams aren't always easy for kids. Some kids have social anxiety or fear of doctors. Others may have issues such as extreme dyslexia holding them back from even being able to read the letters on the chart, and you my be worried about what to tell the optometrist. If you are worried bout having a successful eye exam, you are not alone. I have felt the same way in the past. However, after four kids – three of whom own glasses – I have learned how to negotiate the world of optometry with kids. If you have kids, check out these tips. They will get you and your kid through your next appointment.
