Keratoconus, the pathology of cone-shaped and irregularly shaped eyes

Keratoconus is the most common progressive deformity of the cornea, which occurs when the cornea thins and acquires a conical and irregular shape. It has an incidence of one person in every 2,000 and we can locate the onset of this pathology during the years of puberty.

As for its causes, an autosomal dominant transmission with incomplete penetrance has been proposed, which would affect only 10% of patients. The combination of intrinsic factors that destroy collagen and other extrinsic environmental factors, such as trauma or rubbing, are considered in the pathogenesis of the disease.

Risks of keratoconus

It must be assumed that keratoconus is not an aesthetic problem. The progressive decrease of vision is one of the major risks of the pathology, which can lead to corneal thinning and irregular astigmatism.

This progressive loss of vision is painless in the most common cases of keratoconus, although acute keratoconus or corneal hydrops can occur, in which the aqueous humor enters the interior of the cornea by breaking the inner layer of the cornea, and in this case it can be associated with a painful condition.

How to correct it

The problem of keratoconus, in early cases, can be corrected by wearing glasses. In more advanced cases, with higher astigmatism, rigid contact lenses are the appropriate treatment.