Welcome To Eyesymmetry Vision Center, Helping Patients From All Over Owings Mills, Maryland
What Is Keratoconus?
Keratoconus is an eye disorder that causes the cornea to lose thickness, changing from its natural round shape to a cone-like shape. Keratoconus occurs when the collagen fibers inside the cornea become too weak to support the round shape. This abnormality makes it difficult for light to enter the eye, resulting in vision problems such as blurriness and sensitivity to light. This, in turn, makes certain tasks like driving or reading extremely difficult. The condition typically affects both eyes, but it is possible to have varying degrees of vision problems between the two, which can change over time.
Who Is At Risk For Developing Keratoconus?
According to the National Eye Institute, Keratoconus is one of the most common eye disorders in the US. Nearly 1 in 2,000 Americans have the condition. Keratoconus most often affects children from adolescence through their early 20s. Sometimes, it can occur in people in their 30s and 40s, but these cases are unusual.
There are number of studies showing the likelihood of developing Keratoconus based on ethnicity and gender. The commonly accepted belief is that it is more prevalent in Asians, who are 4 times more likely to develop the condition than other ethnic groups.
More Information About Keratoconus
There are a number of risk factors that are more likely to cause Keratoconus to develop. These include behaviors and conditions such as:
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Frequent eye rubbing
- Down Syndrome
- Genetics/family history
- Hay Fever
- Floppy Lid Syndrome, a type of chronic conjunctivitis
- Retinitis Pigmentosa
- Sleep Apnea, a condition that causes someone to stop breathing during sleep
Someone who has - or is beginning to experience - Keratoconus may notice any of the following symptoms:
- Blurriness
- Cloudy vision
- Eye strain from squinting to read
- Halos around bright lights
- Headaches
- Night vision problems
- Persistent changes to eye prescriptions
- Sensitivity to glares or strong lights
If you have any one or more of these symptoms, especially if there is a family history of Keratoconus, speak with your eye doctor right away. The sooner a diagnosis is made, the earlier that treatment and management of the condition can begin, so you can start to experience improved vision.
To check if you are a good candidate for scleral lenses, contact Contact lens specialist, Dr. Moshe Schwartz O.D., F.A.A.O. at Eyesymmetry Vision Center in Owings Mills or Baltimore in Maryland. Our eye doctors and professional, courteous staff will be more than glad to help you with scleral lenses as soon as possible.
Keratoconus is typically diagnosed by performing a number of eye exams and tests to determine the size and shape of your cornea. Contact lens specialist, Dr. Moshe Schwartz O.D., F.A.A.O. will begin by conducting a routine eye exam to check for overall eye health and visual acuity. The doctor will speak with you about your medical and family history, including any existing symptoms or complaints you may have about your vision and how it affects your everyday activities.
The surface of your cornea may be measured with a special computerized system. This process, known as corneal mapping (or corneal tomography), is exactly what it sounds like: it maps your cornea so that Contact lens specialist, Dr. Moshe Schwartz O.D., F.A.A.O. can obtain exact measurements and details about its shape and size. The curvature is measured with a keratometer, a device containing prisms that guarantee accuracy and stability of the corneal images.
At Eyesymmetry Vision Center, we have the most advanced equipment and modern tools to ensure that our patients receive the highest standard of care that they deserve. If you have questions during the exam or would like to discuss your diagnoses in detail, just ask - we’re here for you.
Like most physical conditions, ignoring the signs and not seeking treatment won’t make it disappear. If Keratoconus is left untreated, the condition will gradually deteriorate. This can lead to increased blurriness, corneal scarring or swelling, or significant vision loss. If the vision loss is severe enough, it may even be categorized as a physical disability.
Unfortunately, Keratoconus is not curable at this time. Once diagnosed, it is a lifelong eye disease. Thankfully, there are treatments that can be successfully managed. That’s why it’s critical to seek the expertise of an eye doctor like Contact lens specialist, Dr. Moshe Schwartz O.D., F.A.A.O., who can look at the whole ‘you’ and create a customized treatment plan for your vision and lifestyle needs. The sooner, the better.
The most common forms of treatment for Keratoconus include Collagen Cross-Linking, scleral lenses, Intacs, and in more serious cases, a corneal transplant.
Collagen Cross-Linking (also known as CXL) is a procedure using special eye drops together with an ultraviolet (UV) light. Through this process, the cornea becomes flatter, its tissue becomes stronger, and it stops progressing into a cone-like shape. However, the procedure is intended for more acute cases, and along with some mild pain, recovery time can take up to 2 weeks.
Intacs is a device that flattens the cornea and gently reshapes it into its natural form. It is inserted surgically into a thick section of the cornea and is the only FDA-approved one of its kind. Many patients with Intacs find that their case of Keratoconus improves to the point where a corneal transplant is no longer needed.
In addition to the above, there are a number of other surgical procedures for the most serious cases of Keratoconus. These can include a partial or complete corneal transplant, which involves the removal of a damaged cornea, replaced with a donor cornea which is round-shaped and healthy.
However, for the majority of patients, the most effective way to treat Keratoconus is with scleral lenses.
What Are Scleral Lenses?
Scleral lenses are special types of contact lenses used to treat a number of eye diseases, including Keratoconus. Scleral lenses contain a small section that holds artificial tears, which coat the misshapen areas of the cornea, helping to keep them moist, restore vision clarity, and sharpen the patient’s focus.
Cross Linking For Keratoconus & Why Scleral Lenses Are A Better Option For Early Stages
While cross-linking is most effective for repairing late-stage Keratoconus, it is not recommended for the earlier stages. For one thing, it requires the use of artificial tears on a consistent basis. For another, a patient must be above 14 years old to receive CXL treatment.
This is why scleral lenses are recommended for the earlier stages of treatment. Since they have a built-in area for artificial tears, a patient doesn’t need to constantly manually administer them throughout the day. Scleral lenses can also be used by children under 14, although the exact age that is most appropriate for contact lens wear varies among different eye doctors.
If you are in the earlier stages of Keratoconus and interested in scleral lenses, our eye doctor at Eyesymmetry Vision Center can help patients from all over Owings Mills, Maryland. Contact lens specialist, Dr. Moshe Schwartz O.D., F.A.A.O. will do a thorough, comprehensive work up and our staff will make you feel right at home.
Scleral Lenses For Children
Young children can also benefit from scleral lenses. Since the large diameter of these lenses allows them to cover more of the eye, they can be particularly effective on pediatric patients. This is because the smaller sizes of a child’s eyes allow for an even larger coverage area.
Once you have been properly fitted for scleral lenses, you can expect to gradually see improvements in clarity, sharper color, and detailed contrast between multiple images and objects in your visual field. The level of comfort you’ll experience means that you’ll be able to wear your custom-made scleral lenses all day long, so you can keep doing the things you love, but with better, clearer vision.
Watch these testimonials to learn how others have experienced a huge difference wearing scleral lenses for the first time and how easy and comfortable they are to put in, take out, and wear all day.
Once you’ve decided to get scleral lenses for your Keratoconus, be sure that the eye doctor you visit has the knowledge and experience required to correctly fit you for the lenses. Not every eye doctor does. That’s because scleral lenses require precise customization, and every patient's Keratoconus case is different with varying degrees of severity.
Contact lens specialist, Dr. Moshe Schwartz O.D., F.A.A.O. has this expertise, and the entire staff at Eyesymmetry Vision Center will ensure that you receive the top quality eye care and custom-made scleral lenses that will help improve your Keratoconus condition, and ultimately, your quality of life.
Most health insurance plans cover healthcare services which are either routine or deemed medically necessary. However, each insurance company has a slightly different version of what is considered medically necessary versus something that is an elective procedure or benefit.
In the case of scleral lenses, every insurance company is different. Some cover the examination and custom fitting, but not the actual lenses. Other providers cover a portion of the cost, while another may cover 100% of the cost, but only if other treatment methods have been completely exhausted. It’s important that you check with your specific insurance provider to find out the particular details of your scleral lens coverage.
Some of the latest Keratoconus research involves a variety of scientific studies and clinical trials aimed at understanding more about the condition and developing more advanced and effective treatments.
The Keratoconus Genetics Research Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is running a study to identify specific genes which may be a factor in the development of Keratoconus. The center also offers a number of clinical trials for the research and advancement of Keratoconus treatments. One such study involves the use of phakic intraocular lenses, which are FDA-approved to treat vision problems in Keratoconus patients.
iVeena Delivery Systems has developed a pharmaceutical eye drop named IVMED-80. This drug is intended to treat Keratoconus by flattening the cornea in as little as 6 weeks, making more invasive treatments unnecessary. The FDA has already granted IVMED-80 orphan drug status, and human clinical trials are expected to begin soon.