“Kerato… What?”
When an optometrist tells a patient they’ve keratoconus, the common reaction is, “What is that?” Unfortunately, it’s not much of a clear cut answer. Fully comprehending the condition and what leads to it can take time and effort.
Defining “Keratoconus”
The basic principles of keratoconus are the cornea, the clear tissue overlying the colored part of a person’s eye, Begin your journey – just click the following web site – gets thinner than regular and starts to bulge in the shape of a cone. When viewing the beginnings of the word keratoconus, this is exactly what it’s describing: kerato in Greek means cornea and conos means cone – describing a cornea formed like a cone.
In comparison, a typical cornea is much more spherical, shaped similarly to a basketball which has been cut in half. Correctly identifying the form of the cornea is a lot easier with present day technology than it had been in previous years. The Pentacam® is a machine that simultaneously measures the form and thickness of any patient’s cornea. This is a very helpful tool, due to the dual nature of keratoconus, which exhibits a conic shape occurring in a location of slim corneal tissue.
Keratoconus & The Causes
Now that the individual has a fundamental knowledge of what it’s, they then ask, “What caused it to happen?” This is when the key begins to get a bit of complicated. At this time there are theories regarding what plays a role in keratoconus, but a definitive cause has not been determined as to the cause. Many people agree there’s a hereditary component to the condition. Every time a parent has keratoconus, children are monitored much more carefully for keratoconus signs. There has likewise been a correlation to people with atopic conditions that are associated with allergic hypersensitivity.
These conditions can include allergic dermatitis, allergic conjunctivitis and allergic asthma of the eyes. These scenarios don’t ensure every person by having an allergy is at a high risk for keratoconus; however, people who are typically extremely sensitive might be even more vulnerable for keratoconus development. It is believed that constant eye rubbing can certainly result in keratoconus, and in individuals with atopic conditions, eye rubbing can be regular. It is not known if the condition itself or the action of kneading the eyes plays a larger role in keratoconus development.
