KERATOCONUS
Keratoconus is an irregular thinning or protrusion of the cornea, the clear windowpane that vaults over the colored part of the eye. It is similar to the crystal of a watch. The cornea is responsible for focusing or bending the light rays that enter the eye. Corneal clarity and smoothness are extremely important in allowing light to be focused onto the retina (the "film of the camera" on the back of the eye). If the cornea is not smooth, the light will not bend evenly and an irregular image will be formed. If a person has Keratoconus, the cornea thins, then bulges forward (due to the pressure inside the eye), and becomes conical (cone-shaped), resulting in eventual scarring of the central cornea.
Keratoconus is a slowly progressive condition often presenting in the teen or early twenties with decreased vision or visual distortion. This condition is typically not associated with any redness, inflammation or other "acute" symptoms and therefore may go undetected for long periods of time, sometimes the person may never know they have it for their whole lifetime. Many folks have a predisposition to Keratoconus, where their cornea is thinning irregularly, but it never does get thin enough to actually cause decreased vision or be detected in the routine eye examination.
The medical literature is clear that if a patient has Keratoconus, or even a corneal thinning that may be beginning Keratoconus, they should not have LASIK performed. The reason is that LASIK, by its very nature of removing corneal tissue, causes a thinning of the cornea. If the cornea is already thinning before the surgery, LASIK can cause the cornea to be excessively thinned to where Keratoconus becomes a full-blown corneal disease. In cases of severe Keratoconus, particularly Keratoconus caused by contraindicated LASIK, a corneal transplant will, in all likelihood, be necessary to achieve any functional vision.
IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING UNDERGOING LASIK SURGERY, ASK YOUR SURGEON IF YOU SHOW ANY SIGNS OF CORNEAL THINNING OR KERATOCONUS. MAKE SURE YOUR SURGEON PERFORMS CORNEAL TOPOGRAPHY ON EACH OF YOUR EYES. THIS STUDY WILL MAP THE CORNEA AND DETECT IF YOU ARE SHOWING ANY SIGNS OF THINNING OR KERATOCONUS.
DO NOT HAVE LASIK SURGERY IF YOU HAVE CORNEAL THINNING OR KERATOCONUS!
To learn more about Keratoconus, click on the following:
The National
Keratoconus Foundation - http://www.nkcf.org
Non-profit organization that supports research and education
about keratoconus.
Center
for Keratoconus - http://www.kcenter.org
Information about keratoconus, including FAQs, treatment,
prevention, and diagnosis, message boards, support groups, personal stories,
doctors, research and clinical trials.
North Shore Contact Lens & Vision Consultants - http://www.northshorecontactlens.com
Nationally recognized practice of Drs. Art Epstein and Joseph
Freedman located on Long Island NY, specializing in contact lenses, keratoconus
and related eye disorders.
Angeles Vision Clinic - http://www.avclinic.com/keratoconus.htm
Offers information about keratoconus.
Dwyer, Dave and Joan - http://home.revealed.net/ddwyer/kc.html
Offers personal information about keratoconus and links to other
resources.