A progressive eye disease, keratoconus occurs when normally round cornea thins and starts to bulge like a cone. This conical shape deflects light entering the eye as it makes its way to the retina, distorting vision. Typically, the condition starts when an individual is in their teens or early 20s and can manifest in one or both eyes.
Signs and Symptoms
As the cornea develops an irregular shape, it leads to progressive myopia (nearsightedness) and irregular astigmatism. This creates additional problems with blurred and distorted vision and may result in sensitivity to light and glare. Commonly, those with keratoconus undergo changes in their prescriptions each time they have their eyes checked.
Treating Keratoconus
Mild enough, keratoconus can be treated with soft contact lenses or eyeglasses. However, as the condition progresses, the cornea increasingly becomes irregular, requiring other treatment options like scleral contact lenses.
Categorized as gas-permeable contact lenses, scleral contact lenses are larger than standard options, specifically designed to vault over the entirety of the corneal surface and rest on the “whites” of the eye, the sclera. This allows the specialized contact lenses to replace the irregularly shaped cornea with a smooth surface, correcting vision problems related to keratoconus as well as other corneal irregularities.
Additionally, scleral contact lenses create a space between the cornea and the lens that can acts as a reservoir of fluid, making them ideal for patients with severe dry eye who may have been advised that wearing contact lenses was not possible for them.
Let Us Help You!
We make sure that all scleral contact lenses are designed and fitted properly, ensuring all pairs fit as they should. This will allow them to work as expected, delivering desired results in vision improvement.
To learn more about scleral contact lenses and what they can do for you, just give Dr. Robert Gerowitz, Optometrist PC a call at (847) 705-7777. You can also schedule an appointment via our online contact form.