Treating and/or curing keratocunus

Can keratoconus be cured?

What is the best treatment for keratoconus, or is it even curable? That is the question that is regularly asked by the person who has this condition. Anyone who has had keratoconus for a while knows how much the poorer vision affects daily life. Does it cost you a lot of effort to drive somewhere by car, or is reading a book increasingly difficult? What are the options and do you have choices?

Treating and/or curing keratoconus

The progression of keratoconus can be stopped with corneal crosslinking. This treatment has a permanent character. That was very different before the year 2000. The ophthalmologist and the patient had to wait and see to what extent the keratoconus got out of hand. It was also not known at that time that rubbing the eyes had such a detrimental effect on progression. Fortunately we live in this time.

Treatment keratoconus

If you have been able to stabilize keratoconus at an early stage, standard glasses or regular contact lenses may be sufficient corrective. But when the keratoconus has already developed further, you are dependent on the correction of contact lenses. However, CXL does not heal or restore the shape of the cornea. You will still need to wear glasses or contact lenses after this treatment to see properly.

Can intacts heal keratoconus?

Intacts are thin semicircular rings with a maximum thickness of 0.45 mm, which are placed in the cornea to gently flatten and reshape it. It is a surgical procedure performed by the ophthalmologist. However, it does not cure keratoconus. Intacts can give you a better view.

Laser Keratoconus?

There are many eye conditions for which laser treatment can offer the solution. Unfortunately, this does not (yet) apply to keratoconus. The problem with laser treatment for keratoconus is that the cornea is thinned in keratoconus. Laser treatment will make the cornea even thinner. The chance that the cone will increase as a result is then very high. Experimentally, cones are lasered in some cases after corneal crosslinking. It is difficult to determine in advance whether this treatment will restore sight sufficiently.

More information

Do you have questions about the treatment of keratoconus, or do you want to know more about the lenses or glasses with which we can improve your vision? Please feel free to contact us.