Attention to Frequent Eye Size Change in 10-20 Years!

Keratoconus is a progressive eye disease that occurs between the ages of 10 and 20 and is usually characterized by a continuous change in degrees of myopia or astigmatism. Drawing attention to the fact that the disease can often be perceived as a simple change in eye number and not noticed, Anadolu Health Center Eye Diseases Specialist Op. Dr. Yusuf Avni Yılmaz said, “While increasing glasses numbers can be corrected for a while and vision can be corrected, in case of improvement, unrecoverable vision loss may occur. It should be kept in mind that keratoconus may occur especially in young people whose eye number changes frequently. "Early diagnosis of keratoconus is extremely important to prevent permanent blindness."

Keratoconus is the translucent front layer of the eye called the cornea that becomes thinner and steep in a cone shape due to the loss of tissue hardness. Anadolu Medical Center Eye Diseases Specialist Op. Dr. Yusuf Avni Yılmaz said, “Although the exact cause of keratoconus is not known, there is information about genetic transmission. That is, about 10 percent of patients with keratoconus have keratoconus in their family. In addition, eye allergy and excessive scratching of the eyes can be counted among the reasons.

Frequent changing of glasses and incomplete contact lenses are signs of keratoconus

Underlining that keratoconus often affects both eyes and can lead to very different vision between the two eyes, Ophthalmology Specialist Op. Dr. Yusuf Avni Yılmaz said, “Symptoms can be different in each eye and change over time. Early signs are slight blurred vision, slightly impaired vision in which straight lines appear twisted or wavy, increased sensitivity to light, but more blurred and distorted vision, increased myopia or astigmatism in later stages. As a result, new glasses are changed frequently, contact lenses do not fit properly, and contact lenses are inconvenient to wear. Keratoconus usually takes years to progress, but sometimes keratoconus can get worse quickly. The cornea may suddenly swell and begin to scar. When the cornea has scar tissue, it loses its smoothness and becomes less clear. As a result, the vision becomes even more distorted and blurred ”.

Attention to the ages 10 to 20

Stating that the symptoms of keratoconus usually start between the ages of 10 and 20 in young people, Ophthalmology Specialist Op. Dr. Yusuf Avni Yılmaz said, “Keratoconus can progress in 10-20 years and slow down towards the end of 30 years of age. "Every eye can be affected differently," he said. Pointing out that keratoconus can be diagnosed by an eye examination of an ophthalmologist specialized in cornea, Op. Dr. Yusuf Avni Yılmaz said, “During this detailed examination, it can be determined whether your cornea is steep and thin. In addition, when necessary, it is definitively diagnosed by mapping the cornea method known as corneal topography. These measurements and examinations are also very important in monitoring the progression of the disease ”.

Treatment depends on the stage of the disease

Emphasizing that keratoconus treatment is planned depending on the stage and condition of the patient, Op. Dr. Yusuf Avni Yılmaz said, “Very mild cases can be followed without doing anything. Otherwise, more severe treatments such as coenea transplantation may be required in keratoconus patients to regain some vision. People with keratoconus often have poor farsightedness. In this case, a solution can be provided with glasses or soft contact lenses in mild cases. In slightly more advanced cases, special keratoconus lenses are used because vision cannot be obtained with this method. In an even more advanced stage, cornea transplantation should be performed with different techniques depending on the situation, ”he said.