Keratoconus Through the Eyes of a Patient

by Gary G. Abud, Jr.
Pictures courtesy of www.kcvision.org
Keratoconus

Keratoconus
KC is a progressive and degenerative disease of the cornea
Vision is affected in several ways simultaneously, including ghosting, blurring, double vision, and a haloing effect
Both genetic factors and mechanical strain have been hypothesized to lead to the disease
Course of treatment varies from mild KC (glasses) to moderate KC (special contact lenses) to severe KC (transplantation of cornea, in part or whole)

What Keratoconus (KC) Does to the Cornea

A Normally Seen (20/20) Parking Sign

Parking Sign: Mild Keratoconus

Parking Sign: Advanced Keratoconus

Keratoconus Causes Double Vision

The Eye Chart

Slight Image Distortion with Mild KC

Normal View of Building without Glare

Glare: Mild Keratoconus

Glare: Moderate Keratoconus

Glare: Advanced Keratoconus

KC Causes A Halo Effect Around Night Lights

Keratoconus Makes Night Driving Difficult

Sometimes Night Driving is Impossible

The Moon Seen Normally

Double Vision: Moderate Keratoconus

Double Vision: Advanced Keratoconus

A Clear Image of a Navy Plane

“Ghosting” of Image: Very Mild KC

“Ghosting” of Image: Mild KC

“Ghosting” of Image: Moderate KC

“Ghosting” of Image: Advanced KC

“Ghosting” of Image: Very Advanced KC

Keratoconus Causes All of These Symptoms
There is no way to treat symptoms individually.
Glasses can help in early stages
Hard contact lenses must be worn as KC progresses, but then lens fitting is difficult
Eventually, the only alternative is surgery
a cornea transplant
Glare
Ghosting
Distortion
Halo Effect
Double Vision
Poor Night Vision

A Cornea Transplant Can Replace the Diseased Keratoconus Cornea, but Recovering Useful Vision Takes Time

Cornea Transplant Vision: 2 Days After

Cornea Transplant Vision: 1 Month After

Cornea Transplant Vision: 2 Months After

The Clear Image

Treatment Success
The success of any form of treatment depends on the progression of the disease
Corneal transplantation, although highly successful, is reserved for the more severe cases
The transplanted cornea, once fully healed, can give rise to vastly improved vision compared to pre-transplantation keratoconus vision
Many new techniques in transplantation and contact lens fitting make treating keratoconus much more manageable

G. Abud
2011
Keratoconus

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Keratoconus Through the Eyes of a Patient

by Gary G Abud Jr

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Keratoconus Through the Eyes of a Patient Presentation Transcript