Have you been diagnosed with Keratoconus or are doubtful of it? Do not worry as this eye disorder can be effectively corrected by various treatment modalities. Keratoconus is a progressive eye disorder that causes thinning of the cornea (clear dome-shaped outer layer of the eye that covers the iris and the pupil) making it cone-shaped and bulging outward. This results in blurring, hazy and distorted vision. Your ophthalmologist will carefully do a detailed check-up, maybe with some diagnostic tests, and prescribe an appropriate treatment suitable as per your Keratoconus condition.

Let us look into the various effective treatment options for Keratoconus.

What are the 3 effective treatments for Keratoconus?

The treatment for Keratoconus depends upon its severity and progression. The treatment options aim to improve and maintain your visual acuity and stop the further change in the shape of your cornea. Your ophthalmologist will recommend the most appropriate treatment for you. The current treatment options available are:

#1. Eyeglasses and lenses

• Prescription eyeglasses and soft contact lenses: These help to correct your blurry and distorted vision effectively during the early stages. You may need to change them as the corneal shape changes.
• Hard contact lenses: These are rigid eye lenses for treating more advanced Keratoconus. They can provide excellent vision and can be made to fit your corneas.
• Piggyback lenses: There are certain specialized lenses that may be worn instead of hard lenses if they feel too uneasy to wear. ‘Piggybacking’ means wearing a hard lens on top of a soft one to minimize discomfort.
• Hybrid lenses: They are a mix of hard and soft lenses with hard in the center and soft around the outer sides. These types of lenses are helpful if you cannot tolerate hard lenses.
• Scleral lenses: These are useful in advanced stages of Keratoconus when the shape of the cornea has markedly changed. These lenses rest on the sclera instead of the cornea and do not even touch the cornea.

Whichever lenses you use, ensure their fit is regularly checked by ophthalmologists specialized in treating Keratoconus. Proper fit of the lenses is crucial to prevent damage to your cornea.

#2. Corneal collagen crosslinking therapy

This is the latest technique that aids to control the progression of further vision loss by stabilizing the corneal shape at the early stages of the disease. In this, riboflavin eye drops are put to saturate the cornea and then treated with ultraviolet light. This results in cross-linking of cornea and collagen which makes the cornea stiff and prevents its change of shape.

#3. Corneal transplant surgery

When Keratoconus has advanced to a stage when there is extreme thinning of your cornea, corneal scarring, and vision doesn’t improve with any of the lenses, then your ophthalmologist may recommend surgery for a corneal transplant. There are two types of surgical techniques depending on the severity of your condition and the location of your corneal cone bulge:-

• Penetrating Keratoplasty: This is a transplant of the entire cornea. Your doctor will remove the complete cornea and replace it with a donor cornea
• Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty: In this procedure, the cornea is replaced, but the inner lining of the cornea is preserved. This reduces the risk of rejection of the new corneal tissue.

All these options for treating keratoconus are safe and effective. Your ophthalmologist can decide the best suitable procedure for you based on your condition and need.

Do not delay in consulting an ophthalmologist if you experience sudden blurring or distortion of vision, increased sensitivity to light, or frequent need to change glasses.

Takeaway

Dr. Deepa Gupta is considered one of the best ophthalmologists in Delhi NCR because of her exceptional clinical and surgical acumen. She possesses rich experience of more than 13 years in treating different types of eye disorders with simple to highly complex procedures. Dr. Gupta specializes in the treatment of Keratoconus and assures the highest quality of treatment with satisfying results in a safe and comfortable environment. She uses the latest and modern equipment and technology which further enhances the quality of outcomes, reduces the time, and minimizes the risk of complications.

Why wait? Get excellent results with compassion and care at the most affordable cost with Dr. Deepa Gupta at Lal eye care center.