Suffering from Keratoconus? You’ve come to the right place.
Our licensed Costa Rican Optometrists are trained in the most modern approaches using state of the art edge technology to accurately diagnose keratoconus. We provide practical solutions that will give you your vision and life back.
To learn more about Keratoconus and your treatment options, continue reading below or schedule a FREE 10 minute consultation with a specialist.
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What is Keratoconus?
Keratoconus (care-uh-toe-cone-us) is a progressive visual condition that leads to blurry vision, glare, light sensitivity, double vision and, in extreme cases, blindness. Keratoconus affects the window of the eye, or the cornea, and causes it to progressively thin and deform which leads to distortion and blurred vision.
So what is actually happening?
The cornea, or clear window of the eye, is a clear dome shaped structure that helps direct light into the eye. If the shape of this window becomes warped or distorted, it affects how light is bent into the eye and leads to glare and irregular vision. Anatomically, the structure of the eye is weak and this results in an outward stretching of the tissue. This weakening and stretching can continue and eventually lead to ripping and scarring in the clear window of the eye.
The earliest signs of keratoconus include:
Blurry vision even with correction
Due to an irregular shape of the eye, vision is rarely corrected or perfectly improved with glasses and normal contact lenses.
Quickly changing vision
If your vision seems to be changing every 4-6 months, then additional testing should be completed
Increasing sensitivity to light
Someone struggling with keratoconus will feel more discomfort from glare and brightness, especially at night time
Why don't glasses work to correct vision when someone has keratoconus?
When the cornea's smooth domed shape begins to distort, it results in light being bent in many directions. This non-uniformity means that a normal glasses prescription can no longer correct the vision. Think of it like looking through the ocean on a calm day versus looking through the ocean during a storm.
Are there any options to see better if I have keratoconus?
Going back to the ocean metaphor, the only thing that would allow you to see through the ocean during a storm is a glass bottom boat. The contact of the boat to the water creates a smooth plane to look into the water. We can recreate this same system when using custom contact lenses. The most recent innovation in contact lenses includes large diameter gas permeable lenses. These lenses create a new smooth surface to the eye and provide very clear vision for the eye. They are also very comfortable to the eye due to the fluid barrier that it provides to the eye.
Is there a cure for keratoconus?
What is the worst case scenario for keratoconus?
If someone with keratoconus goes unmanaged, their cornea can distort and bulge to the point of thinning, scarring or rupturing. These circumstances can also lead to the need for a corneal transplantation that is a significant life event and comes with many potential side effects.
Will a corneal transplant give me a normal eye back?
Not always. While corneal surgery has progressed dramatically over the past few decades, including new surgical techniques and lessened risks, it still often results in the need for glasses and contact lenses. In fact, the best visual outcomes after a corneal transplant require a gas permeable contact lens at least 30% of the time.
What can Ojos Del Mar do to help me with my condition?
Children with vision problems often struggle to keep up in class. And we can all imagine how much harder your day to day is as an adult who struggles to see. Thanks to patients like you, we’re doing something about it.
When you come to Ojos Del Mar, you’re not only receiving the best care available, you’re giving that same level of care to youth in your local community through our Eye 2 Eye program. Our goal is to provide one free eye exam for every paid eye exam at our clinic. If you know of a school or program that could use the extra support, we’d love to hear from you.
