Keratoconus – which literally means “cone shaped cornea”, is a progressive, bilateral eye disease that that causes thinning and cone-like steepening of the cornea. In addition to the coning, Keratoconus can also cause an irregular cornea. The result of which leaves the patient with severely distorted vision accompanied by halos, glares and multiple images (ghosting) and light sensitivity. As it progresses, the result is severe vision impairment and can lead to functional blindness.
Classically thought to be rare disease, new research shows it’s much more in common that thought, impacting almost 1:400 people, an increase of 5x more than originally thought. However, prevalence rates around the world are significantly higher, and in some regions, studies show 1:21. It affects those primarily around 15-45 years of age, however the onset is most often in late teens to young adults. For more information about Keratoconus .. visit our links in Resources.