Keratoconus
Contact Lens Specialist
Keratoconus is a prevalent corneal condition that typically manifests in adolescents and young adults. Our team of Contact Lens Specialists possesses the expertise to develop tailored treatments, such as specialty contact lenses, to address this condition. These lenses can effectively restore normal vision without the need for surgery. If you experience any symptoms of blurry or distorted vision, we encourage you to schedule an appointment with Florida Optical Services. You may do so by contacting us directly or utilizing our convenient online booking system. Keratoconus Specialists helping you see your best!
Corneal Topography
Florida Optical Services has modern equipment for the evaluation and management of Keratoconus and Irregular corneas. Our Contact Lens Specialist is experienced and has worked at various prestigious Ophthalmology centers in Houston, Texas.
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What is Keratoconus?
Keratoconus is a progressive eye condition that affects the cornea, the clear, dome-shaped structure that covers the front of the eye. Over time, the cornea becomes thinner and begins to bulge outwards, taking on a conical shape. This can lead to various vision problems that can significantly impact an individual's quality of life. Seeking prompt medical attention is crucial for the effective of this condition.
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What are symptoms of Keratoconus?
Keratoconus is a condition that can cause irregular astigmatism, leading to vision problems. While glasses may help in the early stages, they eventually will not correct your sight to a functioning level leading to low vision impairments. As it progresses, special contact lenses may be necessary to correct your vision as they can correct the irregular corneal surface. Keratoconus can affect both eyes, with each eye experiencing its own symptoms and worsening at different rates. Early symptoms may include blurry, distorted lines, sensitivity to light, redness, and swelling.
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Large amounts of astigmatism is a sign of Keratoconus?
If your eyeglass prescription has high amounts of astigmatism and you do not see well enough with your glasses, that is a sign that you may have Keratoconus. At this point, you should explore scleral lenses and other types of contact lenses specially designed by your contact lens specialist to mask a large amount of astigmatism and get you back on seeing well.
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Scleral Lenses
Scleral contact lenses can help people with irregularly shaped corneas correct their vision. These lenses are larger than regular contacts and rest only on the whites of your eyes, never touching your cornea. The space created within the contact lens is filled with fluid, which masks the irregular astigmatism caused by the bulging irregular cornea, creating a smooth surface. The outcome is a clear and crisp vision!
Scleral lenses have other uses such as treatment for severe dry eyes and to some extend the improvement of vision in people with Nystagmus. Call us, we can help!
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Soft Lenses For Keratoconus and Other Astigmatism Conditions.
We offer Specialty Soft Lenses that are revolutionary designs for Keratoconus and other conditions. This Lens is great for:
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All Stages of Keratoconus
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Pellucid Marginal Degeneration
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Post Corneal Surgery
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Post Lasik Ectasia
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Natural Ectasia
The Fitting Process
Once we determine that you have a large amount of astigmatism, we look at your cornea with a biomicroscope to determine if we can view an anomaly or bulging of your eye.
The most common finding is a peripheral pigment called Fleisher rings, which are pigmented rings at the edge of your cornea. These rings only appear in Keratoconus. Then, a topography of your eye is taken. See the Previous picture.
Notice an inferior elevation in red. The topography shows the elevation, usually in the lower part of the eye, although it could also be to the sides. We are also looking at the thickness of your cornea.
Our specialist will then measure your corneal diameter and the usual pupil size in regular lighting. Then, an RGP material scleral lens will be put on your eye. These lenses are large in diameter, vaulted, and always rest on the white of your eyes (Sclera) outside the corneal area. The lens is filled with an unpreserved saline solution; the vaulted section will remain with that fluid while wearing the lens. This solution is routinely replaced daily to avoid contamination. The result is a refractive surface in which the irregular shape of your cornea is replaced with smooth curvature that should make corneal astigmatism irrelevant, requiring only the refractive correction from the inside of your eye. Your vision should be much better as it now corrects the total amount of your corneal astigmatism, which spectacle glasses often cannot correct.
Cross Linking to Stabilize The Cornea
If we deem that your irregular astigmatism is increasing, we may opt to do a procedure called cross-linking. The goal is to try to stop the increase of irregular corneal astigmatism. Cross-linking is not a refractive correction. It makes the corneal tissue stronger. Cross-linking is a relatively new procedure in which the cornea is exposed to UV light after slightly removing the corneal epithelium. Then Riboflavin (Vitamin B) is instilled into the eye for about 20-30 minutes. The eye is then exposed to UV light for 30 minutes. This process makes the cornea (stiffer) by binding collagen fibers together. The Physician will prescribe an antibiotic that usually has a cortisone. Safety is about 95%. and final results are encouraging as the astigmatism remains constant, allowing you to continue wearing your contact lenses and avoiding corneal transplantation.