Keratoconus is a type of progressive eye disease that leads to a thinning and bulging of the cornea into a cone-like shape and brings up a severe impact on vision and also affects the quality of life. With the advancement in the ophthalmology field, certain treatments could help in treating keratoconus effectively. However, the success rate of each treatment will vary depending on the severity of the condition and also the individual's health history. To get to know more about the success rate of the common health constituents continue reading the below content it will give you a basic idea about the topic.
What is keratoconus?
In general, the keratoconus will be developed in adolescence and their progression will occur in the mid-30s. While looking for the causes of keratoconus the specific reason is unknown but it is believed to involve a series of genetic changes that occur in an individual. The symptoms of keratoconus include blurry vision, sensitivity to light, and frequent changes in eye power. The early diagnosis of the keratoconus will help in treating them effectively and consulting the ophthalmologist regularly is vital.
Contact lenses
The keratoconus is the first line defense mechanism of keratoconus treatment; the customized contact lens will enhance vision. Rigid gas permeable lenses are the most common choice in the case of keratoconus; they provide a smooth refractive surface over the irregular cornea and by the way they improve vision.
Hybrid lenses come next in preference they are a combination of rigid and smooth lenses the center of the lens will be rigid and the outer covering will be smooth offering comfort to an individual. Scleral lenses also cover the entire corneal surface and this is the popular option.
The success rate of contact lenses in treating keratoconus is a little high. Study shows contact lenses achieved 80 to 90 percent of vision enhancement in keratoconus treatment but as the disease progresses the cornea will become more irregular so lenses cannot fit comfortably or provide a satisfactory vision correction here further treatment option is required.
Corneal crosslinking
The worst thing about keratoconus is the disease keeps progressing as time flies. In that case stopping the progression of the disease is going to be the ultimate goal. Here corneal crosslinking treatment could provide an effective result that is specifically designed to halt the progression of the keratoconus. This type of treatment involves minimal invasive procedure riboflavin, a kind of vitamin B2 drop, will be incorporated into the cornea, and exposed to UV light this process makes the collagen fiber strengthen. Alongside the rigidity is increased and also prevents the further bulging of the cornea.
The study suggests that corneal cross-linking in the treatment of keratoconus has achieved a 90% successive rate in halting the progression of the disease. In many cases, vision improvement is also observed and the specific treatment is providing long-term benefits for the patients.
Corneal transplantation
When the other treatments like corneal cross-linking and contact lenses fail to treat the vision in keratoconus patients, corneal transplantation will be taken into action. Unless or until it becomes unnecessary it will be not preferred. The procedure involves the replacement of a damaged cornea with a healthy donor cornea and there are two types of corneal transplantation: penetrating keratoplasty and deep anterior lamellar treatment.
The success rate of corneal transplantation is high with 90% and the patients observed a significant improvement in their vision, but the result of the procedure is going to depend on several factors like the age of a patient, severity of keratoconus, and other eye conditions.
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Keratoconus treatment faces tremendous changes and they are giving hope to several people who have been affected by this challenging condition. With the evolution in the field, the success rate of keratoconus treatment has reached a certain level but early diagnosis and personalized treatment could enhance the vision when you are suffering from keratoconus so prefer the best eye hospital like The Eye Foundation to ensure your eye health.
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