Do you recall in old animations if your character would see a plate of food and his eyes would bulge out like footballs?

That pointed cone shape of the eye in such scenes isn’t much different from the consequences of keratoconus, a vision disorder where the cornea (the front component of the eye) goes from being its normal rounded shape to thinner and much more pointed.

Cornea Form And Vision

The various constructions of our eyes need to have very specific shapes to be able to reflect light onto the light-sensitive retina and enable us to see clearly. The reason many people need glasses at an early age is that their eyes are too long or too short. This makes the image represented through the lens drop in the front of the retina or behind it, making images blurry at different distances.

With keratoconus, because of the misshapen retina, the picture reflected through the lens of the eye becomes twisted at any given distance, making multiple pictures or warping them until they reach the retina.

Symptoms And Progression Of Keratoconus

In early stages, keratoconus contributes to slightly blurred and distorted vision, as well as sensitivity to light and warmth. These symptoms can show up in the late teens or 20s and may advance before slowing for as many as twenty-five years. Since keratoconus worsens, it can produce double vision pictures, glare around lights, and night vision.

In rare situations, the thinned cornea may develop a tiny crack due to the strain of this cone-like form. When a fracture forms, the embryo is going to swell, significantly affecting vision for months or weeks as it heals, leaving a scar behind that also impacts vision.

Read More: What Is Keratoconus ? Is It a Sight Threatening Disease?

Vision Correction For Keratoconus

While there are no drugs that can prevent keratoconus from progressing, its impacts on eyesight are correctable with glasses or contact lenses at the early phases. Since the eye shape is changing over time, these may not completely fix the problem in the later stages, but rigid gas permeable lenses may still produce significant improvements. Standard eye appointments are extremely important to be certain contact lenses fit nicely and continue to correct vision. In particularly serious cases, a corneal transplant may become necessary.

Changes On Your Vision? Schedule an appointment.

If you’ve seen any changes in your eyesight, whether you are inside the normal age range for growing keratoconus, it is time to schedule your next eye appointment. You might only need an upgraded prescription for your glasses or contact lenses, but the changes may also be attributed to keratoconus or another more serious illness.

Your optometrist looks forward to watching you!

Read More: Keratocounus is often an undiagnosed eye problem. Learn about traditional and alternative treatments