Complications of Keratoconus

Keratoconus is a progressive disease of refraction due to the degeneration of collagen tissue in the cornea causing it to lose stability and bulge outward resembling a cone.

Complications can occur due to the progressive destruction of the cornea or due to the prolonged use of contact lenses.

Acute Corneal Hydrops

Acute Corneal Hydrops is a condition where patients suffer a sudden loss of vision with associated pain and discomfort in the eye due to the leakage of fluid into the cornea across the weaken areas This can occur in one eye or both eyes. This does not cause a permanent loss of vision of the eyes but specialist medical attention must be sought to rule out any other sinister causes.

Treatment for this sudden loss of vision is normally palliative since this resolves generally on its own and in some cases have shown to very rarely cause the flattening of the cornea to resemble somewhat its original shape.

Here scarring of the cornea of the eye may or may not occur, and if scarring is present this will likely need a corneal transplant in order to restore vision.

Abrasions due to contact lenses

Contact lenses though placed in the eye for a purpose are essentially a foreign body in the eye. As with all foreign bodies this can cause an irritant reaction in the eye which will cause damage to the eye. It is important also to note that inferior quality contact lenses made of materials of questionable quality are available for a lower price but these may do more damage than good. Reputed Optometrist support must always be sought when obtaining contact lenses

Psychological trauma due to poor vision

Vision is the most important sensory modality we use to make sense of the world around us. It is the single most essential sense we use most in daily life. The distortion of vision associated with Keratoconus can be incredibly debilitating both physically and psychologically.

The Complications of Keratoconus are extremely rare and are easily preventable with the proper interventions at the correct time. It is important to have regular eye checkups to make sure there are no signs of conditions like keratoconus and if such a condition exists prompt treatment will enable you to live a happy life with perfect visual clarity.