World Keratoconus Day Promotes Awareness And Early Treatment Of Degenerative Eye Disease

If you or someone you know is struggling with worsening vision, blurred vision, or sensitivity to light, an eye exam could reveal an uncommon condition known as keratoconus. 

Keratoconus is a degenerative eye disease that alters the shape of the cornea and distorts vision. If caught at an early stage, eye doctors can treat keratoconus with the goal of avoiding cornea transplant later in life. To help promote global awareness and education about the disease, November 10 is designated World Keratoconus Day. 

"Keratoconus is a warping of the normally round cornea that, unlike many conditions we treat, usually shows up in younger populations who could face a lifetime of poor vision or risks related to corneal transplant. That can have a heavy impact on quality of life,” says Dr. Brandon Bartmaan, an ophthalmologist who leads the Vance Thompson Vision team in Omaha, Nebraska. “Fortunately, through innovation and research, new treatment modalities aimed at stopping and sometimes reversing this progressive condition are now available, elevating the importance of screening with a corneal topography and prompt treatment for these patients." 

Patients often show the first signs of keratoconus in their late teens to early 20s. Normally, corneas are round, dome-shaped and relatively thick. With keratoconus, the corneas gradually become thinner and weaker, resulting in a cone-shaped bulge that causes vision to deteriorate. Because early detection is so important in treating keratoconus, Vance Thompson Vision supports World Keratoconus Day as well as continued public awareness of the disease and its treatment. 

"In 2023, our game plan in keratoconus management should be to diagnose early, halt progression or worsening of the disease, and then rehabilitate vision," says Dr. Mitch Ibach, an optometrist at Vance Thompson Vision who specializes in corneal diseases. 

Parents with family histories of keratoconus should schedule regular eye examinations for their children, as well as watch for symptoms of keratoconus, like squinting, eye rubbing, and frequently changing prescriptions.

Treatment of keratoconus might include correcting vision problems with glasses or soft contact lenses. Patients also often wear rigid, gas-permeable contact lenses or other types of lenses, such as scleral lenses, fitted by an eye doctor who specializes in treating keratoconus. A procedure called corneal collagen cross-linking can help to slow or stop keratoconus from progressing, possibly preventing the need for a future cornea transplant. This treatment may be offered in addition to corrective lenses. 

"I love the development of better treatment options for our patients with keratoconus. The ability to stop the progression of this disease with corneal cross-linking, and in some cases reshape an irregular cornea with topography-guided laser treatments, is truly extraordinary," says Dr. Russell Swan, a leading ophthalmologist at Vance Thompson Vision’s Montana locations.

Honor World Keratoconus Day this November 10 by scheduling a routine eye exam and wearing a lime green ribbon to spread awareness of this disease. For more information, contact Vance Thompson Vision at 605-371-7121 or email melissa.palmer@vancethompsonvision.com