The cornea is the window of the eye. Light travels through the cornea past the lens to the retina and then the brain to form a visual image. The normal corneal surface is smooth and aspheric i.e. round in the center, flattening towards its outer edges. Light rays passing through it moves in an undistorted manner to the retina to project a clear image to the brain.
In patients with keratoconus the cornea is cone shaped (hence the name keratoconus, derived from the greek word for cornea (‘kerato’) and cone shaped (‘conus’). In patients with keratoconus the cornea is not only cone shaped but the surface is also irregular resulting in a distorted image being projected onto the brain.
What causes Macular Degeneration?
Because the cornea is irregular and cone shaped, glasses do not adequately correct the vision in patients with keratoconus since they cannot conform to the shape of the eye. Patients with keratoconus see best with rigid contact lenses since these lenses provide a clear surface in front of the cornea allowing the light rays to be projected clearly to the retina. Hence the vast majority of patients are treated with rigid contact lenses. There are however some excellent new options for patients with keratoconus who cannot tolerate these lenses.
Our Treatment
We provide the latest in the treatment for patients with Keratoconus. Many new modalities are now available to us. Treatments range from the latest in soft/gas permeable hybrid contact lenses (such as the Synergeyes Lens), providing the optics and vision of a gas permeable lens to the comfort of a soft lens, to more traditional gas permeable or soft contact lenses. Dr. Derryberry has had great success in fitting Synergeyes lenses for many of his Keratoconus patients.
