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Laser Eye Surgery Toronto - Clearview Vision Institute

Keratoconus Treatment

Keratoconus

An introduction to keratoconus

  • Keratoconus is a degenerative disorder of the eye. Structural changes within the cornea cause it to thin and change to a more conical shape than its normal gradual curve.
  • Keratoconus is an extreme form of astigmatism. It can cause substantial distortion of vision, with multiple images, streaking and sensitivity to light.

Keratoconus symptoms and lifestyle impacts

Depending on ethnicity, keratoconus affects up to one in 450 people. It is more common in non-Caucasians.

We can usually diagnose keratoconus in young people at puberty, in their late teens or early twenties. Your optometrist can detect early stages of keratoconus. In the early stages, keratoconus will not affect your vision.

Keratoconus does not cause blindness. If you don’t address keratoconus, however, the cornea can change further in shape. It can become thinner. In advanced stages, these changes can cause a loss of transparency.

The loss of transparency of the cornea can impair the ability of the eye to focus correctly. Even in advanced keratoconus, however, we may be able to correct your vision with contact lenses.

Causes of keratoconus

Causes of keratoconus

The exact cause of keratoconus is unknown. Genetics and environmental factors may play a role.

Ophthalmologists do not consider it an inherited disease. Rarely, in some families, keratoconus can affect more than one family member.

The image below shows the differences between a normal eye and a keratoconic eye.

Keratoconus examination in Toronto

Each time you attend our clinic for keratoconus, we will perform many of the same tests, including:

  1. Vision (reading chart)
  2. Refraction (glasses test)
  3. Corneal scans

We will compare these results with those from your previous visits. If any of the results show deterioration, we will discuss with you whether CXL is required (see below).

Keratoconus treatment in Toronto

Until recently, the only cure for keratoconus was a corneal transplant. Clearview Institute is the first clinic in Canada to introduce Laser Light Transepithelial Crosslinking.

Laser Light Transepithelial Crosslinking is an innovative and much-improved version of Corneal Collagen Crosslinking (CXL), the traditional treatment for those with keratoconus and ectasia, as well as other degenerative eye disorders.

Learn about Laser Light Transepithelial Crosslinking

In the early stages, we can use glasses or soft contact lenses to correct your vision. As the cornea becomes thinner and steeper, we’ll likely need to use soft or rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lenses to correct vision more adequately.

In very advanced cases, where contact lenses fail to improve vision, you may need a corneal transplant. A corneal transplant is rare, however, since ophthalmologists introduced corneal crosslinking (CXL).

CXL is a relatively new treatment that can stop the progression of keratoconus. CXL is effective in over 94% of patients with a single 30-minute outpatient procedure.

CXL is only suitable where the corneal shape is continuing to deteriorate. We might detect continued deterioration at your follow-up appointments.

Your keratoconus does not require an urgent referral since changes caused by the condition usually take several months or even years to develop. Because of this, we monitor people with keratoconus and invite them back for repeat assessments.

Testimonials
Dear Dr. Kranemann, Many thanks in the nice, smooth and trouble free cataract surgery you carried out on both my eyes at Clearview Institute. I would like also to extend my thanks to all the staff of clearview. They are efficient, kind hearted and very helpful.J.T.
Dr. Kranemann is exceptionally intelligent and experienced. He is passionate about achieving perfect results for his patients, and proved it by correcting my father’s vision perfectly. We are very happy and grateful and highly recommend Dr. Kranemann.B.A.
Had the new vision correction procedure SMILE. WOW is all I can say. Life without glasses is amazing. Great surgeon and medical staff. Will refer his expertise on to family and friends.D.C.
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