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Keratoconus is an eye disease that affects the Cornea, the clear transparent part of the eye. This disease causes progressive thinning and protrusion of the cornea giving it a conical shape. This conical shape leads to poor vision that cannot be fully corrected with spectacles. The disease usually starts in the early teenage years and can progress silently. It affects both eyes however both do not progress at the same rate which is usually the reason why it is diagnosed late until significant vision deterioration has occurred.
Keratoconus can pass on genetically or can occur without any significant family history. It’s also common in people that suffer from allergic conditions and are frequent eye rubbers. It can also occur as part of a few genetic syndromes e.g. Retinitis Pigmentosa, Down Syndrome, Ehler’s Danlos Syndrome, hay fever, etc. It’s very important to get screened for this condition if there is a family history of the disease.
The most common symptom of this disease is not being able to get a good prescription for glasses from the optometrist. Sometimes there is trouble driving at night with significant glare and haloes. The eye looks normal but doesn’t seem normal.
Screening for the disease is simple. One test of the eye can diagnose the condition. The test is a simple non-contact image of the eye that takes only five minutes.
In the past few years, there has been a very effective treatment for Keratoconus. This is called Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking which is a minor treatment that uses UA light and Vitamin B 2. This treatment strengthens the cornea and stops further progression of the disease however it cannot reverse the process. In other words, it will prevent further deterioration of vision but not reverse vision loss.
In the case of advanced disease where there is significant vision deterioration that cannot be treated with spectacles or contact lenses can be treated with the replacement of the cornea with corneal transplantation from a donor.
Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare is conducting a Keratoconus screening research program to diagnose this disease early and manage it accordingly to improve the quality of life by preserving good vision.
If you are interested in participating in the research program, please visit the Keratoconus Screening Program page
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