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Keratoconus in Dubai is a relatively common degenerative eye disorder that affects about 1 in 1000 people. The disorder is characterized by a thinning of the cornea, the transparent layer on the front of the eye. As the cornea thins, it becomes conical in shape.
Keratoconus causes blurred vision, multiple ghost like images, streaking around light sources, frequent headaches, eye strain, excessive eye rubbing due to eye irritation and light sensitivity. In addition to these symptoms poor visual sharpness and poor night vision are very common as well. Keratoconus usually starts off with mild symptoms and can be easily diagnosed in the teenage years and appears as astigmatism, just after the onset of puberty. Most often the patient will notice a sharpness of their vision, which get worse rather rapidly which can be alarming.
Keratoconus is the most common type of corneal dystrophy and is commonly treated by skilled corneal specialists at the Eye Clinic in Dubai. It is important to be examined by a highly-qualified ophthalmologist, who has many years of experience and is trained to recognize the symptoms of keratoconus as this condition is often difficult to diagnose.
Keratoconus is a progressive disorder, but the progression is variable. While some individuals experience good vision for many years, others have rapid progression. Some of the treatment options for Keratoconus include, corrective lenses which provide enough visual correction to function normally. At the initial stages some patients may find that soft contact lenses can be an effective keratoconus treatment to correct astigmatism. However, as the condition progresses and becomes worse, the patient may need to switch to rigid gas permeable contact lenses (RGPs).
There are a variety of different contact lenses that are specially designed for patients with keratoconus. Fitting contact lenses for those who have keratoconus can be difficult and it may be time to get the perfect fit. Many patients who suffer from keratoconus will become contact lens intolerant as the disorder progresses. Today, there are two main surgical keratoconus treatment options, corneal transplant and Intacs for Keratoconus.
Corneal Transplants are commonly used when scarring has developed from wearing contacts. In this treatment, part of the patient’s cornea is removed and donor corneal tissue is grafted onto the eye. This treatment has a success rate of over 95%. This treatment is carried out as an outpatient procedure under sedation, but the average recovery period is 4 to 6 weeks but can take up to a year for visual acuity to become completely stable, but once the eye has stabilized, its permanent.
Intacs is a surgical keratoconus treatment that is less invasive than corneal transplantation, corneal ring segment inserts are used, it is also an alternative to laser surgery for correcting refractive errors unrelated to keratoconus. Intacts are thin, semi-circle implants are made from Plexiglas. They are
inserted into the outer edge of the cornea to create a flatter cornea shape. Flattening corneal steepness can improve vision and make the eyes more tolerant to contact lenses. Opting for an Intacs procedure can prevent patients with keratoconus from needing a cornea transplant, later in life.
Prior to making a final decision on the best choice of treatment, address all your concerns and questions with the Eye Surgeon in Dubai.
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