Keratoconus Treatment: A Comprehensive Guide

Keratoconus Treatment

Keratoconus is a progressive eye disease where the cornea, the clear dome-shaped front part of your eye, thins and bulges outward into a cone shape. This irregular shape blurs vision and can make everyday activities difficult. Glasses often aren’t effective in correcting vision for people with keratoconus, leaving them frustrated and struggling to see clearly.

Fortunately, there are several advanced treatments available at Ayushman Hospital & Health Services that can help manage keratoconus and improve your quality of life. This article will explain these keratoconus treatment options in detail:

Early Intervention: Slowing Keratoconus Progression

  • Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking (CXL): This innovative procedure strengthens the corneal tissue using riboflavin (vitamin B2) drops and ultraviolet (UV) light. CXL helps halt the progression of keratoconus, preventing the cone-shaped bulge from worsening. It’s most effective in the early stages of the disease.

Reshaping the Cornea for Improved Vision

  • Intracorneal Ring Segments (INTACS): These are tiny, crescent-shaped implants inserted into the cornea to reshape it and flatten the bulge. INTACS are ideal for moderate keratoconus and can significantly improve vision. They are also adjustable or removable if needed, offering treatment flexibility. Scleral lenses can be used alongside INTACS for additional vision correction.
  • Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) and Scleral Contact Lenses:
    • RGP lenses are specially designed semi-soft lenses that vault slightly over the irregular cornea, creating a smooth optical surface for light to enter the eye. These are most effective in the early stages of keratoconus.
    • Scleral lenses are larger-diameter lenses that rest on the white part of the eye (sclera), bypassing the irregular cornea altogether. They provide excellent vision correction and are very comfortable for people with moderate to advanced keratoconus.

Advanced Techniques for Significant Vision Distortion

  • Athens Protocol: Combining PRK and CXL: This approach combines two procedures:
    • Topography-Guided Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK): A laser-guided by detailed maps of your cornea reshapes it to improve vision.
    • CXL: Strengthens the cornea after PRK to maintain its new shape. The Athens Protocol is particularly beneficial for people with substantial vision distortion from keratoconus, offering improved vision quality with glasses and potentially less reliance on contact lenses.
  • Combined INTACS and CXL: Studies at Ayushman Hospital have shown that combining INTACS with CXL simultaneously yields better results than staged procedures. This combined approach reshapes the cornea with INTACS and strengthens it with CXL, leading to improved vision and greater corneal stability.

Corneal Transplant for Severe Cases

  • Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty (DALK): In advanced keratoconus where other treatments are no longer effective, a corneal transplant may be necessary. DALK is a preferred technique that replaces only the diseased outer layers of the cornea while preserving the healthy inner layers. This minimizes the risk of rejection compared to a full-thickness transplant. DALK offers faster recovery, fewer complications, and significantly improved vision for patients with severe keratoconus.

Ayushman Hospital: Your Partner in Managing Keratoconus

At Ayushman Hospital, we understand the challenges keratoconus presents. Our commitment is to provide you with the best possible care. Our ophthalmologists are highly experienced and use state-of-the-art technology to offer a comprehensive range of keratoconus treatments, including CXL, INTACS, RGP and scleral lenses, the Athens Protocol, and DALK. We individualize treatment plans based on your specific needs and the severity of your condition, ensuring optimal outcomes and improved vision.

Take Charge of Your Vision Today

If you are experiencing vision problems or suspect you might have keratoconus, schedule a consultation at Ayushman Hospital. Our experts will diagnose your condition, discuss suitable treatment options, and help you find the best course of action to manage keratoconus and improve your quality of life. You can also watch our informative video about the combined INTACS and CXL procedures for a detailed demonstration.

/by

What is blue light and how does it affect our eyes?

Our eye hospital in Dwarka treats every kind of eye problem, and most of our patients complain about strain on their eyes and almost everyone blames it on blue light, so we got some of Delhi’s best eye doctors to dispel the myths and tell you the facts about blue light.

Sunlight is composed of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet light and when all of these are combined, it becomes the white light we see all around.

Where can we be exposed to blue light?

The sun is in fact the biggest source of blue light, along with which there are many other sources like

  • Fluorescent light
  • CFL (compact fluorescent light) bulbs
  • LED light
  • Flat screen LED televisions
  • Computer monitors, smart phones, and tablet screens

The exposure to blue light we get from screens is dwarfed when compared to the amount of exposure from the sun.  And yet, there is concern over the harmful effects of exposure to screens, this is more so because of how  close we get to the screens and the amount of time spent in front, looking at them. According to more recent studies, it is children’s eyes which seem to absorb more blue light than adults from digital device screens.

What Are The Benefits of Blue Light?

Remember that blue light is a part of sunlight, and is necessary for good health as it will

  • boost alertness, help memory and cognitive functioning even improve mood. .
  • regulates the circadian rhythm – the body’s natural wake and sleep cycle. Exposure to blue light during daytime hours will help keep a healthy circadian rhythm. Although, excessive exposure to blue light late at night ( smart phones, tablets, and computers) can disturb this same wake and sleep cycle, leading to sleeping issues and daytime tiredness.
  • Not getting enough exposure to sunlight in children can affect their growth and development of their eyes and vision. Earlier studies showed a deficiency in blue light exposure could contribute to a higher risk of developing myopia/nearsightedness.

Blue light and its effects on the eyes 

Almost all visible blue light passes through the cornea and lens and reaches the retina. This light may affect vision and can prematurely age the eyes. Early research shows that too much exposure to blue light can cause :

Digital eye strain: Blue light from computer screens and digital devices can decrease contrast leading to digital eye strain. Fatigue, dry eyes, bad lighting, or how you sit in front of the computer can cause eyestrain. Symptoms of eyestrain include sore or irritated eyes and difficulty focusing.

Retina damage: continued exposure to blue light over time can damage retinal cells which may cause vision problems like age related macular degeneration.

The best way to avoid damage is by spending less time in front of screens but in case you have to, you should use computer glasses and anti-reflective lenses to better protect your eyes from prolonged  exposure to blue light.

Call us and talk to the best eye doctors in Dwarka to know more ways to protect your family and your eyes from blue light.

/by