Eye-Opening Info about Keratoconus

EYE OPENING INFO ABOUT KERATOCONUS KERATOCONUS 101 "Keratoconus" translates to 'cone-shaped cornea It occurs when the -... cornea becomes thin A cone-shaped bulge appears on the cornea The cause is unknown It most frequently appears in the late teens and early 20s EARLY SYMPTOMS Mildly blurred vision Glare Slight vision distortion Increased light sensitivity Slight eye irritation LATER SYMPTOMS Frequent need to change eyeglass prescription Inability to use contacts Increased astigmatism or nearsightedness NON-SURGICAL AND SURGICAL TREATMENTS ARE AVAILABLE NON-SURGICAL TREATMENT EYEGLASSES RIGID CONTACTS SURGICAL TREATMENT CORNEAL TRANSPLANT Diseased cornea is removed and replaced Only 10-20% of patients need surgery INTACS Tiny arc-shaped pieces of surgical plastic are implanted in the cornea to modify its curvature CORNEAL COLLAGEN CROSS-LINKING A new experimental treatment that uses riboflavin (vitamin B2) and ultraviolet light to strengthen chemical bonds in the cornea Clinical trials are proceeding now in the U.S., but the procedure has been approved for use in Europe for many years PROVIDED BY: MACK EYE CENTER WWW.MACKEYECENTER.COM SOURCES: http://www.mackeyecenter.com/our-services/keratoconus.aspx http://www.nkcf.org/keratoconus-symptoms-and-diagnosis/ http://www.nkcf.org/keratoconus-treatment/ http://eyewiki.org/intrastromal_Corneal_Ring.Segments.%28ICRS%29 http://eyewiki.aao.org/Corneal.Collagen.Cross-Linking