Keratoconus
Why in news?
Researchers found that keratoconus severity before treatment is a key factor in disease progression, even after collagen cross-linking (CXL) treatment.
About Keratoconus
- Keratoconus is a progressive eye condition in which the normally dome-shaped cornea thins and gradually bulges outward into a cone shape.
- This cone-shaped cornea causes irregular astigmatism and myopia, leading to distorted and blurry vision.
- The condition typically begins in the teenage years and progresses during the teens and twenties, but it can vary among individuals.
- The exact cause of keratoconus is unknown, but it is considered multifactorial, involving both genetic and environmental factors.
- Genetic predisposition is evident as family history increases risk, and certain connective tissue disorders (such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and osteogenesis imperfecta).
- Environmental factors include persistent eye rubbing, atopy (allergic conditions), asthma, and exposure to ultraviolet light.
- Blurred or distorted vision
- Increased nearsightedness and irregular astigmatism
- Light sensitivity and glare
- Difficulty with night vision
- Vision correction problems with glasses over time
- Diagnosis is primarily by clinical examination and advanced corneal imaging techniques such as corneal topography, which maps the cornea’s shape.
- Treatments are tailored to disease severity:
- Early: Glasses or soft contact lenses
- Moderate: Rigid gas-permeable or scleral lenses
- To halt progression: Corneal collagen cross-linking
- Advanced with scarring or intolerance to lenses: Corneal transplant surgery
