Keratoconus

Keratoconus is a progressive loss of thickness in the cornea and bulging of its central part. This results in the cornea changing from a spherical to a conical shape. The disease manifests itself in increasing near-sightedness and astigmatism, among other symptoms.

Keratoconus is a hereditary condition, 2-5 times more common in men than in women. Although keratoconus was described in 1854, its causes are still not entirely known even today. There are, however, many environmental and genetic factors responsible for the development of the disease.

There are many diseases which can co-occur with keratoconus, among which we can differentiate genetic syndromes, ophthalmological conditions and general conditions.

Genetic syndromes:

• Alport
• Crouzon
• Down
• Ehlers-Danlos
• Marfan
• Rieger

Ophthalmological conditions:

• aniridia
• iridal atrophy
• pigmented retinal degeneration
• retinal dystrophy
• prematurity-related retinopathy
• Leber congenital amaurosis (blindness)

General conditions:

• atopic dermatitis
• mental illnesses
• diseases of the joints and bones
• diseases of connecting tissues
• Barlow’s syndrome

Other notable environmental factors responsible for the development of the condition include:

• atopy, i.e. hypersensitivity connected with asthma, allergies and eczema
• UV radiation
• eye rubbing
• contact lenses

The correction of keratoconus usually begins with the selection of hard contact lenses. These improve the comfort of vision, but do not inhibit the development of the disease. One of the few treatment methods which actually halts the development of keratoconus cross-linking. This method consists of creating crossing connections between the collagen fibres of the cornea.