Keratoconus can be a scary diagnosis for a teenager, but you may also welcome it after struggling to understand what’s causing your vision changes. This eye condition is genetic, and you may have other family members who can help guide you through treatments and living with keratoconus. Our ophthalmologist can help you manage keratoconus with corneal cross-linking that slows or halts the disease progression.
What is Keratoconus?
Keratoconus causes the cornea (at the front of your eye) to weaken and thin, creating a cone-shaped bulge that affects your vision over time. This rare eye condition typically develops in your teenage years or early 20s — a time when you should be enjoying a carefree life filled with schooling and strong friendships. Keratoconus tends to progress for 10 to 20 years before stabilizing or slowing down. Both eyes can be affected differently, but the early signs include blurry vision, visual distortions and increasing light sensitivity.
Keratoconus can cause severe vision loss, and some patients need a corneal transplant to restore their eyesight. Treatments often attempt to manage keratoconus through corrective glasses or soft, rigid or gas permeable contact lenses. Tiny, clear implants called Intacs placed in the cornea can also improve vision problems caused by keratoconus. However, corneal cross-linking is the only treatment method that aims to slow down or stop keratoconus from progressing, reducing your risk of needing a transplant in the future and allowing you to enjoy more of your youth.
What is Corneal Cross-Linking?
Corneal cross-linking is an outpatient procedure that is minimally invasive, safe and effective for patients as young as 14 and up to 65 years old. The cross-linking treatment strengthens and stiffens the cornea to prevent further bulging and visual distortions. Unlike other options which aim to improve your vision, corneal cross-linking focuses on preserving your remaining vision by stopping keratoconus from getting worse.
The procedure uses riboflavin drops applied continuously and absorbed by the cornea, and then a UV-A light is used for around 10 minutes. The Bochner Eye Institute in Toronto was the first ophthalmology clinic to introduce corneal cross-linking in Canada. Dr. Raymond Stein and our other eye doctors are widely acknowledged as the most experienced in this keratoconus treatment in North America.
Corneal cross-linking can help you avoid a corneal transplant and reduce nearsightedness and astigmatism linked to keratoconus. It can not only prevent your vision from worsening but improve how well your contacts fit by enhancing corneal rigidity.
Learn More About Corneal Cross-Linking for Keratoconus
Teenagers with keratoconus have more treatment options than ever before. If you’ve been diagnosed with this eye condition, contact Dr. Raymond Stein at Bochner Eye Institute to see if corneal cross-linking is right for you.