As we get older, collagen, which is one of the organic components in the cornea structure, thickens and tends to harden. Generally, one of the reasons why keratoconus stops progressing after the late 40s is thickened and hardened collagen. A similar condition is seen in young diabetics, and progression in keratoconus is slow or absent in patients with this systemic condition.

The Corneal Cross Linking treatment method was emerged from this idea. If the corneal collagen stability of the patient increases, corneal endurance increases and sharpening and curvature of the cornea are prevented. Using UV-A drops and riboflavin in the treatment provides the collagen tissue is strengthened and the cornea becomes more stable. The strengths of the treatment are to reduce and stop the progression of progressive keratoconus cases, improve the quality of vision in the patient and eliminate the need for cornea.

In cases where the patient is not satisfied with the intracorneal ring method or corneal cross linking treatment, a cornea transplant called keratoplasty can be performed as a final treatment.

Methods Used in the Treatment of Keratoconus

Keratoconus treatments are generally considered as stopping the progression of the disease. The first of these treatment methods is contact lens applications. It is a method that can be used in the early stages of the disease. The second method is the application of an intracorneal ring. Recently, the method called Corneal Cross Linking is used more. The last method that can be preferred is cornea transplantation when the appropriate cornea donor is found.

Use of Contact Lenses in the Treatment of Keratoconus

In the treatment of keratoconus, there is no complete recovery, and the treatment focuses on stopping or reducing the progression of the disease in patients. Eye-glasses are the first tools that can be used to improve vision quality in patients. However, the issue is that clear vision may not be obtained in patients with keratoconus, as the problem is caused by cornea deformity. For this reason, contact lenses with different types can be used to increase the quality of vision. These are briefly,

Contact Lenses Used in the Treatment of Keratoconus

Gas permeable lenses

Corneascleral lenses

Piggyback Lenses

SoftPerm lenses

1 - Gas Permeable Lenses

Specially designed lenses suitable for the structure of the erect cornea can be used in the treatment of keratoconus. The compatibility ratio of these lenses is very high and high quality, clear vision can be provided.

2 – Korneosklerale Linsen

These are large surface lenses and designed to cover the cornea and sclera structures. These lenses can be used in patients who need keratoplasty and in patients who have trouble tolerating regular keratoconus lenses, although not very often.

3 – Piggy Back Linsen

Patients with keratoconus may sometimes report that they do not experience sufficient comfort with gas-permeable lenses. To improve lens adaptation, two lenses are applied together to the eye: one soft lens and one rigid lens.

4 – SoftPerm Lenses

Lenses with a hard center and softer edges can be applied in special keratoconus cases.

Other Methods Used in the Treatment of Keratoconus

Patients with keratoconus may sometimes state that they cannot get enough comfort with permeable lenses. Two lenses, one of which is a soft lens and the other a hard lens, are applied to the patient with keratoconus to increase the compatibility of the lens to the

Keratoconus Treatment and Surgery

Keratoconus is the name given to the disease caused by thinning and tapering of the surface of the cornea, the transparent layer of our eyes, along with myopia and astigmatism, which are eye-breaking defects. In general, people with the disease, which begins in adolescence, are noticed by a detailed ophthalmologist's examination at the age of 20. The disease progresses into the 40s and continues in a stationary process from the end of the 40s in general.

For keratoconus treatment and keratoconus surgery, it is important to understand the structure of the cornea. The horn is an important part of the eye. The light beam makes its first contact with the eye through the cornea. It has the ability to break light and focus light as a feature of the corneal structure. Especially thanks to this, we can see objects clearly. In keratoconus disorder, vision is impaired along with a change in the anatomical structure of the cornea. Keratoconus in many ways (difficulty driving, difficulty writing on the computer, difficulty reading books, etc.) can reduce our quality of life.

How Is Keratoconus Diagnosed?

Symptoms of keratoconus mostly begin to appear in adolescence and are quite difficult to diagnose in earlier childhood. Many people may think that they only have fibroids and astigmatism problems. In young adulthood, the disease progresses. In young adulthood, glasses may begin to change frequently, and keratoconus may be diagnosed as a result of a detailed eye examination.

Decreased clarity without seeing, distorted vision, blurred vision, double vision, myopia and astigmatism, formation of glare in the eye, ligament pain characterized by eye fatigue photosensitivity in the eyes, i.e. excessive sensitivity to light.

Examination and Eye Examination Before Treatment in Keratoconus Disease

Analysis of refraction defect with and without drops, removal of surface map of corneal anterior area with corneal topography measurement of corneal thickness, counting of endothelial cells, examination of the eye bottom, i.e. fundus, can be performed.

About the treatment and Surgery of keratoconus disease

Special Hard Contact lenses can be used in the early stages of keratoconus disease. But the use of contact lenses may not stop the process of progression of the disease. Contact lenses correct the bombardment of the center of the cornea as a structural feature of the cornea, that is, they can solve the problem of astigmatism and provide a clearer vision. But in the later stage of the disease, the use of contact lenses may be insufficient. As another alternative solution, intra-corneal ring treatment called Intra corneal Ring (INTACS) can be applied. Another application is corneal transplant operations. Corneal transplantation is a treatment method that should be preferred at the last stage due to the fact that donations are often insufficient, the high rate of rejection of the body's corneal tissue from tissue transplantation.

Along with the recent progress of technology, the progression of the disease can be stopped by a treatment method called Corneal Cross Linking. It is important here that the disease is not curable, but that the progression of the disease is stopped in the current situation. If you want, you can get more detailed information from our next article, the methods used to treat Keratoconus.