Light passes into our eye via the cornea – the transparent tissue in front of the eye. It’s shaped like a dome; however, in some instances, it bulges forward like a cone. Because of this, the distorted cornea cannot focus light, even wearing traditional glasses or soft contact lenses won’t help. This medical disease is known as keratoconus, a disease which can progress during your teenage years and early twenties. Hopefully, the following information will help you understand the primary cause of keratoconus, its common symptoms, and all treatment options available.

The Causes of Keratoconus

Keratoconus is known to have a genetic link, so if you or someone in your family has been diagnosed with keratoconus, it would be best to schedule a consultation with Dr. Ramachandaran optometrist right away! Our cornea is made up of tiny fibers of a protein called collagen. When the bond between these fibers starts to deteriorate, the cornea also starts losing its smooth, natural shape, leading to the cornea forming a cone shape.

In addition to genetic predisposition, studies also show that rubbing your eye can also worsen the distortion of your cornea. Many patients with keratoconus say they have an unusual urge to rub their eyes, which is the primary reason why our doctors prescribe eye drops to help you extinguish the itch.

Three Symptoms Of Keratoconus That You Need To Look For

Most symptoms of keratoconus tend to present as the disease progresses, especially during your teenage years and early twenties. Some common signs of keratoconus include blurry, poor vision, which worsens over consecutive years. It’s critical to realize that though keratoconus might affect as many as 1 out of every 375 people, several other common eye conditions also share similar symptoms. Hence, it is important to have a consultation with an optometrist experienced with keratoconus to get a proper diagnosis. It isn’t possible to confirm that you have keratoconus just by looking for these symptoms. Objective clinical measurements and review of your symptoms are required by an optometrist.

Change in Vision in One Eye

During the early stages of keratoconus, you might experience some changes with your eyeglass prescription within a short period. Another common sign of keratoconus is that even after updating your glasses, you still experience reduced vision, often out of just one eye. In such keratoconus cases, squinting your eyes may help improve your vision temporarily.

Blurred Objects and Night Vision

People with keratoconus generally complain about a poor vision of near and far objects, even with the best soft contact lenses or eyeglasses. This condition is called irregular astigmatism, which results in blurry near and far vision. Individuals diagnosed with keratoconus also experience much difficulty with vision in dim light conditions. It’s common for patients to notice multiple halos at night, even with updated soft contacts and eyeglasses.

Itchy Eyes

Itchy eyes by themselves are not a sign of keratoconus. However, if your eyes are so itchy that you often find yourself rigorously rubbing your eyes and experiencing a combination of the symptoms described, there is an increased chance you might have keratoconus. If you notice these symptoms or have previously, contacting Dr. Prasod Ramachandaran, the experienced eye doctor from Maxivision Eye Care to get a diagnosis and rule out any possibilities of keratoconus at the earliest.

Contact Maxivision Eye Care for An Experienced Keratoconus Optometrist!

Dr. Prasod at Maxivision Eye Care has years experience to help diagnose your condition and provide you with the proper treatment. At Maxivision Eye Care, we strive to be the best at providing you with the best treatment possible to help achieve a clear vision. Call us at 630-904-1900 to book your appointment today!