Keratoconus Treatment

Keratoconus treatment is a procedure aimed at eliminating keratoconus, a serious eye health problem that occurs in the cornea. Since keratoconus affects the shape of the cornea in a way that causes vision problems, benefiting from keratoconus treatments can be quite important and necessary. Thanks to keratoconus treatment procedures performed by reliable healthcare institutions such as Vega Health Agency, your vision functions may improve significantly and your quality of life may increase. Let’s take a look at the important details regarding keratoconus treatment together.

What is Keratoconus Treatment?

Keratoconus treatment consists of certain procedures performed to correct the shape distortion that occurs in the corneas of individuals. When keratoconus is present, a noticeable tapering and thinning of the cornea may be observed. Since this condition causes various vision problems and long-term damage to eye health, it is a condition that must be resolved with keratoconus treatments. There are many different medical interventions that can be used to treat keratoconus, primarily keratoconus surgery. Keratoconus treatments are performed by ophthalmologists using reliable and effective methods selected appropriately for each individual.

What Methods Are Used for Keratoconus Treatment?

There are multiple methods used for keratoconus treatment. Effective and reliable treatment methods used to control and eliminate keratoconus problems can be discussed under bullet points.

Cross-Linking (Corneal Cross-Linking/CXL)

Corneal cross-linking treatment, or corneal cross-linking surgery, is an effective solution for keratoconus. The cross-linking application process begins with a comprehensive examination and diagnosis. This examination and diagnosis are crucial for definitively determining whether the individual has keratoconus, understanding the stage of the disease, and planning the application appropriately for the individual. In the cross-linking surgery, local anesthesia is first administered. Local anesthesia is usually applied using anesthetic eye drops. After numbing the entire eye, especially the cornea, with these eye drops, the epithelial layer located in the outermost region of the cornea is removed. The removal process is performed very carefully to prevent damage to the cornea. After this, the procedure is performed using various drops and ultraviolet light. After the procedure, the eye is protected with an eye patch.

Use of Contact Lenses

Another method used for keratoconus treatment is the use of contact lenses. Individuals who cannot benefit from corneal cross-linking surgery due to various reasons, such as not meeting the age criteria, and whose keratoconus problem has not progressed significantly, can use contact lenses for keratoconus treatment. However, these contact lenses are not made from conventional materials; they are designed to create an ideal surface on the cornea. In addition, the use of contact lenses is not a treatment method that offers definitive and long-term results for keratoconus. For this reason, the number of people who prefer to use contact lenses is much lower than the number of people who prefer cross-linking.

Who is Keratoconus Treatment Suitable For?

Keratoconus treatment is considered suitable for most patients with corneal shape abnormalities. Cross-linking treatment, in particular, is highly effective and can be applied to many individuals in good general health. A common misconception is that individuals over the age of 35 cannot benefit from keratoconus treatments. However, keratoconus treatment can also be performed on individuals over the age of 35. After the age of 35, keratoconus problems may stop with the hardening of the cornea. Nevertheless, individuals who experience various problems due to the sharpness of their cornea and do not want to rely on contact lenses can also benefit from keratoconus treatment after undergoing various evaluations.

How is Keratoconus Treated?

Keratoconus treatment can be performed in different ways depending on the situation. There are two main methods that offer effective solutions for keratoconus problems. The first of these methods is the use of special contact lenses. Contact lens use is a temporary solution. The other method, cross-linking treatment, is a surgical procedure. In cross-linking treatment, the epithelial layer of the cornea is removed, followed by medical intervention involving the application of drops and light.

How Long Does Keratoconus Treatment Take?

The duration of keratoconus treatment may vary depending on the situation. The interventions performed in cross-linking treatment, known as keratoconus surgery, are actually minimal interventions. Therefore, the keratoconus surgery generally takes 25-30 minutes. The average time mentioned applies to one eye.

Will I Feel Pain During Keratoconus Treatment?

It is highly unlikely that you will experience pain during keratoconus treatment. The contact lenses used for keratoconus treatment do not cause any discomfort. Keratoconus surgery is performed under local anesthesia. Effective medications, such as eye drops, prevent you from experiencing any pain during keratoconus treatment.

What Are the Advantages of Keratoconus Treatment?

The advantages of keratoconus treatment are numerous. The benefits of keratoconus treatment, which eliminates the keratoconus problem and provides protection for eye health, can be explained in a few points.

• Eliminating the keratoconus problem and protecting corneal health
• Reducing the need for negative situations such as requiring a corneal transplant
• Making the eye more suitable for contact lenses by eliminating corneal shape abnormalities caused by keratoconus
• Improving overall eye health and enhancing vision

What Are the Risks and Possible Complications of Keratoconus Treatment?

As with any medical intervention, there are risks, however small, associated with keratoconus treatments. Possible complications after keratoconus treatment include redness, pain, and discomfort in the eyes. Rare but risky situations include deterioration of corneal health and eye infections. To reduce the likelihood of such situations, it is necessary to choose reliable and professional healthcare institutions such as Vega Health Agency for keratoconus treatment.

Preparation Process Before Keratoconus Treatment

A preparation process is required before keratoconus treatments. Before undergoing either minimal keratoconus treatment methods associated with contact lens use or complex treatment methods such as cross-linking, it is necessary to undergo an examination process and various tests for preparation purposes. The preparation process before keratoconus treatment and related details can be explained under several headings.

Keratoconus Treatment Examination Process

During the examination process prior to keratoconus treatment, you will be thoroughly examined by an ophthalmologist. This examination allows your ophthalmologist to obtain information about important issues such as your general health and the degree of your keratoconus. By confirming this information with tests performed before keratoconus treatment, your ophthalmologist can determine the appropriate intervention for you.

Tests for Keratoconus Treatment

One of the most important preparations before keratoconus treatments is the performance of various tests. Tests that provide accurate information about important conditions related to the shape or thickness of the cornea, such as corneal pachymetry and topography, enable accurate determinations to be made about issues such as the level of the individual’s keratoconus problem. These assessments enable the transition to treatment phases and allow for medical interventions without compromising the individual’s overall health.

Recovery Process and Care After Keratoconus Treatment

Although keratoconus treatments are innovative, comprehensive, and reliable, they are delicate procedures. After such delicate procedures, certain precautions must be taken to protect the individual’s general health and, in particular, their eye health. Important details and care recommendations regarding the recovery process after keratoconus treatment can be addressed under several headings.

The First 3 Months After Keratoconus Treatment

The first 3 months after keratoconus treatment are a sensitive period that can also be referred to as the early recovery phase. Therefore, certain precautions must be taken during the first 3 months after keratoconus treatment. In particular, it is necessary to protect the eye with bandages, use medications such as eye drops regularly, and take care to avoid any contact with the eye, including water, especially during the first few days.

What Should Be Considered After Keratoconus Treatment?

There are several things to be mindful of after keratoconus treatment. Long-term and short-term considerations may differ. However, the general precautions following keratoconus treatment can be summarized in a few points.

• You should protect your eyes from harmful external factors such as sunlight and dust.
• You should make sure to have regular eye examinations after keratoconus treatment.
• After keratoconus treatment, you should avoid actions that could damage the corneal surface, such as rubbing your eyes, both during the early recovery period and in the long term.
• Depending on the situation and your doctor’s recommendations, you may need to use medications such as moisturizing eye drops.

When Should I Contact My Doctor After Keratoconus Treatment?

Some situations that may occur after keratoconus treatment may indicate that you need to contact your doctor immediately. In particular, situations such as experiencing vision loss, discharge from your eyes, or an unbearable stinging and burning sensation in the eye area indicate that something is wrong and that you need to contact your doctor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of keratoconus treatment?

The cost of keratoconus treatment may vary depending on the situation. The main factor determining the total treatment cost is the keratoconus surgery cost. Keratoconus surgery is advantageous in terms of cost because it is not considered a very expensive procedure. However, factors such as the doctor’s experience and the facilities available at the healthcare institution where the operations will be performed can increase the keratoconus surgery cost.

What age is required for keratoconus treatment?

There is no specific age range for keratoconus treatment. As with many eye treatments, there are various methods suitable for individuals of different age groups in keratoconus treatments. Each of these methods offers advantages in different ways and provides treatment appropriate for the individual’s age. However, keratoconus treatment is generally recommended up to the age of 35 because keratoconus is one of the conditions that actively progresses until the age of 35. For all these reasons, individuals of all age groups can benefit from keratoconus treatment.

Where is the best keratoconus treatment in the world?

Where the best keratoconus treatment in the world is performed may vary depending on the situation. However, in general, many people consider Turkey to be the country that offers the best keratoconus treatment services in the world. Turkey is an advantageous country in many different ways for benefiting from keratoconus treatments, from enabling procedures to be performed at an affordable keratoconus surgery cost to offering professional treatments with advanced healthcare services. In particular, some healthcare institutions, such as Vega Health Agency in Istanbul, can provide you with the best keratoconus treatment methods due to their reliability and professionalism.

Is it possible to treat bilateral keratoconus?

It is possible to treat bilateral keratoconus. While some eye diseases only affect one eye, keratoconus is generally a health problem that affects both eyes. Therefore, most individuals suffering from keratoconus benefit from bilateral keratoconus treatment, i.e., treatment performed on both eyes. This allows conditions such as corneal thinning and protrusion in both eyes to be eliminated simultaneously and effectively. However, bilateral keratoconus treatment is a type of treatment that requires expertise and is a medical intervention that must be performed by an eye disease specialist.