Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Keratoconus Treatment London
Keratoconus is a progressive eye condition that causes thinning and irregularities in the cornea.
At OPTIX Opticians, we specialise in diagnosing and offering tailored keratoconus treatment in London to help patients manage this condition effectively.
What is Keratoconus?
Keratoconus is where the normally round cornea (the transparent front part of the eye) undergoes changes causing it to bulge and become cone-shaped. This irregular shape prevents light from focusing properly on the retina at the back of your eye, causing blurred and distorted vision. Keratoconus typically affects teenagers and young adults.
In the very early stages, changes to the cornea and vision can be subtle, so you might not notice any vision problems.
It occurs in both eyes, though often one may be more affected than the other. As the disease progresses, the structural changes in the cornea make its shape even more irregular, causing blurred vision.
What Causes Keratoconus?
Keratoconus doesn’t have a single known cause, but research indicates genetics play a role in its development, meaning individuals with a family history of keratoconus may be at a higher risk of developing this condition.
Chronic eye rubbing, specific medical conditions, environmental factors, poorly fitted contact lenses, or eye trauma from injuries could also aggravate keratoconus.
Understanding these risk factors is essential for early detection and effective management to improve long-term outcomes.
Keratoconus Symptoms
The symptoms of keratoconus vary depending on what stage the condition is at:
- Blurred or distorted vision
- Increased light sensitivity
- Glare and halos around lights
- Frequent changes in prescription
- Difficulty seeing at night
- Eye strain and headaches
If left untreated, keratoconus can significantly affect vision quality, making everyday activities such as reading and driving difficult.
How to Diagnose Keratoconus
Our comprehensive eye examination, which includes a slit lamp examination, and our state-of-the-art OCT scan is required to identify changes in the cornea, diagnose keratoconus accurately, and monitor disease progression.
Key Diagnostic Tests for Keratoconus:
Corneal OCT scan – A special integration in our OCT scan for corneal screening to diagnose keratoconus, by assessing the structure and measuring corneal thickness.
Slit Lamp Examination – Identifies corneal changes during an eye examination. This is important for keratoconus diagnosis.
Refraction & Visual Acuity Tests – Checks for rapid prescription changes and vision deterioration during your eye examination.
If keratoconus is detected early, we can recommend suitable treatment options provided in practice, like custom-made keratoconus contact lenses to improve your vision, or through a referral to a specialist for more advanced treatment to slow disease progression.
Stages of Keratoconus
The stages of keratoconus are generally defined by the degree of corneal thinning, the extent of vision changes, and the development of irregular astigmatism.
Early Stages
In the early stages of keratoconus, prescription changes may be mistaken for common refractive errors like short-sightedness (myopia). This is why using advanced diagnostics in addition to your comprehensive eye examination, is invaluable for detecting early changes like corneal thickness and shape.
Early keratoconus can be managed with glasses, while custom soft contact lenses can correct vision for early to moderate keratoconus.
Advanced Stages
As keratoconus progresses and your cornea thins, it will become even more irregular, making it harder to correct your vision and prevent symptoms.
This is when more advanced treatments will be required, from rigid gas permeable contact lenses to improve sight, to minimally invasive surgical procedures that slow disease progression, or in the latest stages, a corneal transplant.
Complications of Keratoconus
If left untreated, advanced keratoconus can lead to complications that further impact vision and eye health, like highly irregular astigmatism and eventual corneal scarring.
This can significantly affect daily activities and overall quality of life. Early intervention, regular monitoring, and appropriate treatment for keratoconus patients are essential to minimise these risks and preserve long-term vision.
Keratoconus Treatment Options
There is no cure for keratoconus, so our main goal is to treat keratoconus by improving your vision and slowing down its progression.
Treating keratoconus at different stages involves a range of options, from corrective contact lenses for early to moderate keratoconus, to more advanced procedures like corneal crosslinking or corneal transplant for more severe cases.
Once we have completed your eye examination and keratoconus assessment, our optometrists will determine the best course of action in terms of treatment and will recommend a personalised treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.
Non-Surgical Keratoconus Treatment
Custom Soft Contact Lenses
In the very early stages of keratoconus, glasses can provide improved vision. However, as keratoconus advances and the cornea’s shape becomes more irregular, they won’t be able to correct the condition. Special custom soft contact lenses for keratoconus are the next port of call for mild to moderate cases.
Our optometrists can fit custom contact lenses according to your precise eye measurements, with a thickness suitable to cover the cornea’s irregular surface.
Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) Contact Lenses
These specialised hard lenses are the most popular form of keratoconus treatment, providing a hard, stable surface to smooth over corneal irregularities and provide comfortable, clearer vision.
Again, these are made according to your personal eye measurements to ensure maximum clarity for your vision needs and are usually recommended for mild to more advanced keratoconus.
Hybrid Contact Lenses
A combination of soft and rigid lenses, hybrid lenses offer improved comfort thanks to the soft contact lens edge while maintaining sharp vision correction with its RGP centre.
These may be recommended if you cannot get on with rigid gas permeable contact lenses.
Scleral Contact Lenses
Larger than custom soft or hard keratoconus lenses, scleral lenses don’t just cover your cornea, but span over the white part of the eye (sclera), providing excellent stability during eye movement, less chances for dust or debris to get caught under the lenses, and superior comfort if you have advanced keratoconus.
They can be custom-made and correct almost any form of corneal irregularity, and can even be used multifocal prescriptions.
Piggyback Lenses
These are custom contact lenses suitable for advanced keratoconus, which involve a soft lens being worn underneath a rigid gas permeable (RGP) lens.
If you can’t tolerate RGP lenses alone, this dual lens system delivers comfort from the soft lens cushioning the eye, along with sharp vision from the RGP lens on top.
What Surgical Procedures Are There for Keratoconus?
Corneal surgery are key surgical options for managing more severe keratoconus. While custom keratoconus contact lenses correct and improve your vision, these surgical procedures will also work to slow down disease progression.
Corneal Cross-Linking (CXL) (For Moderate Keratoconus)
A minimally invasive procedure, corneal crosslinking is designed to strengthen and stabilise corneal tissue by using riboflavin drops and UVA light to create new bonds between corneal collagen fibres. It can halt or slow disease progression, which may prevent the need for a corneal transplant.
Recovery time is usually short, providing you adhere to diligent aftercare as instructed by your eye surgeon.
Intrastromal Corneal Ring Segments (ICRS)
These are tiny, clear, semi-circular plastic rings that are implanted in the cornea under local anaesthetic and advanced laser technology to flatten the cone-like bulge and improve vision.
This is another minimally invasive outpatient procedure If you are struggling with moderate keratoconus, this may be recommended for you.
It can also be combined with corneal crosslinking surgery and could also slow progression to prevent the need for a corneal transplant.
Phakic Intraocular Lenses (IOLs)
These specialised implantable lenses can be used to improve vision to remove the need to wear glasses or contact lenses if your keratoconus is stable. They work alongside your eye’s natural lens, so corneal tissue can be preserved rather than removed.
This is another minimally invasive surgery that takes around 30 minutes under local anesthetic.
Corneal Transplant
In the most severe cases, where scarring or extreme thinning has occurred, we may refer you for a corneal transplantation.
A cornea transplant takes about an hour and works to replace the damaged cornea with healthy donor cornea to create a smooth and more regular surface.
Corneal transplants have a high success rate, but recovery can take anywhere from 18 months to 2 years. This doesn’t mean your vision will be permanently corrected – it will be stabilised, meaning you can wear regular glasses or contact lenses to correct your vision.
Keratoconus Treatment in London – Why Choose OPTIX Opticians?
At OPTIX Opticians, we provide expert diagnosis and personalised contact lens treatment for keratoconus in London.
Comprehensive Eye Examinations—Using cutting-edge technology to detect keratoconus early.
Custom Contact Lens Fitting—Specialised lenses designed for maximum comfort and vision clarity.
Collaboration with Leading Surgeons—If advanced procedures or surgery are required, we work closely with London’s top ophthalmologists to help provide the best outcomes for you.
Ongoing Support & Monitoring—Regular check-ups to ensure your treatment remains effective.
Book a Keratoconus Assessment at OPTIX Opticians
If you are experiencing keratoconus symptoms or have a family history of the condition, early detection is crucial for preserving vision.
Call us now to discuss a keratoconus assessment or book your eye examination online to get started on your journey to keratoconus treatment today.
