I had been diagnosed with Keratoconus. Talk about luck. Keratoconus affects around one person in a thousand, and I'm the one person. I have developed irregular astigmatism, and every visit to the eye doctor my eyeglasses prescription changes. *sigh*
Here's a description on Keratoconus.
Keratoconus is a progressive eye disease in which the normally round cornea thins and begins to bulge into a cone-like shape. This cone shape deflects light as it enters the eye on its way to the light-sensitive retina, causing distorted vision. Keratoconus can occur in one or both eyes and often begins during a person's teens or early 20s.
Keratoconus Symptoms and Signs
Keratoconus can be difficult to detect, because it usually develops slowly. However, in some cases, keratoconus may proceed rapidly.
As the cornea becomes more irregular in shape, it causes progressive nearsightedness and irregular astigmatism to develop, creating additional problems with distorted and blurred vision. Glare and light sensitivity also may occur.
It's not unusual to have a delayed diagnosis of keratoconus, if the practitioner is unfamiliar with the early-stage symptoms of the disease.
What Causes Keratoconus?
New research suggests the weakening of the corneal tissue that leads to keratoconus may be due to an imbalance of enzymes within the cornea. This imbalance makes the cornea more susceptible to oxidative damage from compounds called free radicals, causing it to weaken and bulge forward.
Risk factors for oxidative damage and weakening of the cornea include a genetic predisposition, explaining why keratoconus often affects more than one member of the same family.
Keratoconus is also associated with overexposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun, excessive eye rubbing, a history of poorly fitted contact lenses and chronic eye irritation.
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