In the initial stages, glasses and contact lenses improve vision, but in more advanced stages they only help partially and additional procedures or surgeries are needed.
Keratoconus
What is keratoconus and how can it be treated?
Keratoconus is a condition of the cornea that causes it to weaken and become deformed. It is linked to allergies and eye rubbing, as well as other genetic conditions, and has a familial inheritance pattern.
There are different degrees of keratoconus: In the initial stages, glasses and contact lenses improve vision, but in more advanced stages they only help partially and additional procedures or surgeries are needed, such as crosslinking, intrastromal ring or phakic lens implantation, or more advanced keratoplasty and transplantation techniques.
Treatments for Keratoconus:
Collagen cross-linking
This procedure involves applying a special ultraviolet light that creates bonds between collagen fibers to prevent further corneal deformation. It is especially useful in very young patients who are at high risk of progression.
Intrastromal Rings
Intrastromal corneal rings reduce corneal irregularity, improve astigmatism and myopia, and allow us to avoid or delay the need for a corneal transplant. Ring treatment can be complemented with corneal crosslinking and glasses or contact lenses to further improve vision.
Semilunar keratoplasty
Semilunar keratoplasty involves removing a thin crescent of tissue from the peripheral cornea to improve its curvature and avoid the need for a transplant. It is useful in young patients with advanced keratoconus who would not improve with intrastromal corneal rings. This technique does not require donor tissue but does require sutures that are removed after a few months.
Corneal Transplant
Before the development of crosslinking and intrastromal corneal rings, transplantation was the only treatment option for patients with keratoconus. In this technique, the center of the diseased cornea is removed and replaced with donor tissue, which is then secured with sutures. It is currently used for advanced keratoconus, as well as for corneal scarring and other conditions. We can perform corneal transplants using a femtosecond laser to improve surgical precision and the patient’s visual quality.
We carry out all these operations in the city of Ibagué.
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