Keratoconus (cont.)

How Is Keratoconus Diagnosed?

The doctor may notice some things during the examination, or the patient may mention symptoms, that could be caused by keratoconus. These include:

• Sudden change of vision in just one eye.
• Double vision when looking with just one eye.
• Objects both near and far look distorted, but not blurred. In other words, small details of the objects are clear, but the shapes or colors look wrong. Later, distant objects do become blurred.
• Bright lights look like they have halos around them.

These things might be related to keratoconus, but your doctor must measure the curvature of the cornea to be certain. Several different instruments can be used to measure the curvature of the cornea.

One instrument, called a keratometer, shines a pattern of light onto the cornea. The shape of the reflection of the pattern tells the doctor how the eye is curved. There are also computerized instruments that make three-dimensional "maps" of the cornea, a process called corneal topography.

How Is Keratoconus Treated?

Only a doctor experienced in treating eye problems can recommend the right treatment for someone with keratoconus. Treatment usually starts with new eyeglasses, and then contact lenses are recommended. These will correct the vision problems caused by keratoconus.

Keratoconus changes vision in two ways:

• As the cornea changes from a ball shape to a cone shape, the smooth surface also becomes slightly wavy. This is called irregular astigmatism .
• As the front of the cornea expands, the eye becomes more nearsighted . That is, only nearby objects can be seen clearly. Anything too far away will look like a blur.

New eyeglasses can usually make vision clear again in mild cases of keratoconus. Eventually, though, it will probably be necessary to use contact lenses. Rigid lenses are used most frequently in keratoconus patients.

Next: Will surgery correct keratoconus? »

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