Eye Exams and Eye Care Treatment for Keratoconus, in Burbank, CA
The clear, outer lens of your eye is called the cornea, and it’s usually a smooth surface with a dome shape. With keratoconus, the corneal structure isn’t strong enough to create a healthy spherical shape. Instead, the cornea pushes and bulges outward, resulting in a cone-shape. At Monji Optometry, our highly qualified optometrists will perform a thorough eye exam in our clinic to detect this condition. Treatment for keratoconus is provided as part of our expert eye care services in Burbank, CA.
Keratoconus is relatively rare, diagnosed in approximately one person out of every 2,000. It generally makes an appearance in the teen years and can progress quickly or slowly. In general, keratoconus runs in families, so if you’re aware of this condition in your family eye history – it’s critical to schedule regular eye exams with our experienced Burbank eye doctors.
What causes Keratoconus?
Tiny collagen fibers secure your cornea into place. Protective antioxidants are present in your cornea, and they destroy the damaging by-products made naturally by corneal cells. If these by-products are not destroyed, the collagen fibers may be weakened to the point where they are unable to maintain the round form of a healthy cornea. A reduction in the amount of antioxidants can therefore lead to keratoconus.
The usual culprit for this corneal disorder is genetics, however some types of eye injuries may also raise your risk of keratoconus. A number of ocular and systemic diseases are also associated with the condition; contact us in Burbank for more information.
What are typical symptoms of Keratoconus?
Vision is affected by a bulging cornea in two different ways.
- The formation of a cone shape causes the normally smooth cornea to become wavy, leading to irregular astigmatism.
- As the cornea expands, eyesight becomes more and more nearsighted. Vision correction is needed in order to focus.
It is most common for problems to begin in one eye and later develop in the second eye too.
Common symptoms of these changes include:
- Streaking of lights
- Sudden change of vision in only one eye
- Blurred vision
- Objects appear distorted, both near and distant
- Triple ghost images
- Double vision from just one eye
- Halos around bright lights at night; glare
If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s advised to schedule an appointment for a comprehensive eye exam in Burbank.
How do we diagnose Keratoconus?
We use top-tier, advanced diagnostics to provide you with quality eye care services in our Burbank practice. Using the latest optometric equipment, our optometrists will inspect your eyes closely for any signs of keratoconus. We’ll measure the shape of your cornea with the help of computerized corneal topography, which provides immediate results.
How do we treat Keratoconus at the Burbank Eye Doctor?
Prescription eyeglasses will often be the first approach we recommend as a part of our Burbank eye care. If this solution isn’t effective and doesn’t clarify your vision, rigid, gas permeable contact lenses will usually be tried.
With severe keratoconus, tears, swelling and scars may occur due to overstretched collagen fibers. PTK is a specialized procedure that can be done to smooth out scars and enable comfortable contact lens wearing.