Keratoconus Treatment Options

Keratoconus in Dubai is a relatively common degenerative eye disorder that affects about 1 in 1000 people. The disorder is characterized by a thinning of the cornea, the transparent layer on the front of the eye. As the cornea thins, it becomes conical in shape.

Keratoconus causes blurred vision, multiple ghost like images, streaking around light sources, frequent headaches, eye strain,  excessive eye rubbing due to eye irritation and light sensitivity. In addition to these symptoms  poor visual sharpness and poor night vision are very common as well. Keratoconus usually starts off with mild symptoms and can be easily diagnosed in the teenage years and appears as astigmatism, just after the onset of puberty. Most often the patient will notice a sharpness of their vision, which get worse rather rapidly which can be alarming.

Keratoconus is the most common type of corneal dystrophy and is commonly treated by skilled corneal specialists at the Eye Clinic in Dubai. It is important to be examined by a highly-qualified ophthalmologist, who has many years of experience and is trained to recognize the symptoms of keratoconus as this condition is often difficult to diagnose.

Keratoconus is a progressive disorder, but the progression is variable. While some individuals experience good vision for many years, others have  rapid progression. 

Some of the treatment options for Keratoconus include, corrective lenses which provide enough visual correction to function normally. At the initial stages some patients may find that soft contact lenses can be an effective keratoconus treatment to correct astigmatism. However, as the condition progresses and becomes worse, the patient may need to switch to rigid gas permeable contact lenses (RGPs).

There are a variety of different contact lenses that are specially designed for patients with keratoconus. Fitting contact lenses for those who have keratoconus can be difficult and it may be time to get the perfect fit. Many patients who suffer from keratoconus will become contact lens intolerant as the disorder progresses.

Today, there are two main surgical keratoconus treatment options, corneal transplant and Intacs for Keratoconus. 

Corneal Transplants  are commonly used when scarring has developed from wearing contacts. In  this treatment, part of the patient’s cornea is removed and donor corneal tissue is grafted onto the eye. This treatment has a success rate of over 95%. This treatment is carried out as an outpatient procedure under sedation, but the average recovery period is 4 to 6 weeks but can take up to a year for visual acuity to become completely stable, but once the eye has stabilized, its permanent.  

Intacs is a surgical keratoconus treatment that is less invasive than corneal transplantation, corneal ring segment inserts are used, it is also an alternative to laser surgery for correcting refractive errors unrelated to keratoconus. Intacts are thin, semi-circle implants are made from Plexiglas. They are inserted into the outer edge of the cornea to create a flatter cornea shape. Flattening corneal steepness can improve vision and make the eyes more tolerant to contact lenses. Opting for an Intacs procedure can prevent patients with keratoconus from needing a cornea transplant, later in life.

 Prior to making a final decision on the best choice of treatment, address all your concerns and questions with the Eye Surgeon in Dubai.

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Common Ophthalmology Terms Defined

Have you ever wondered what the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist is or any of these eye related terms that are used each time you visit the Eye Clinic in Dubai. The team at Clinic  shares the definitions of some common ophthalmology terms that you may not be familiar with. 

Cornea - This is the transparent layer that outlines the front of the eye. 

Astigmatism -An abnormality in the eye that prevents light rays from meeting at a common focal point, and causes multiple focal points to occur making images distorted. The condition is  characterized by an irregularly shaped cornea. 

Cataracts -  Cataracts in Dubai  are identified by a clouding of the eye lens that causes blurred vision and can progressively become worse and requiring surgical intervention to restore sight. 

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) - This condition is where there is a deterioration of the eye’s macula, a small area of the retina. 

Glaucoma - Glaucoma is a progressive eye disease that is characterized by increased pressure in the eye. If  this condition is not treated it can cause permanent vision loss. 

Corneal Disease - This ailment affects the cornea. 

Hyperopia - This is farsightedness, where people find it difficult  to see things up close. 

LASIK - LASIK in Dubai is an acronym that stands for laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis, a vision correction procedure that is performed to correct a refractive error in the eye.

Diabetic Eye Disease - Complications from diabetes can cause certain diseases that affect the eye, including diabetic retinopathy and other conditions.

Dry Eye – This condition that develops when there are insufficient tears to nourish and lubricate the eye. There are many causes for dry eye, including allergies, medication  and certain disorders.

Keratoconus - Keratoconus in Dubai is often a progressive corneal disease, which thins and creates a bulging effect of the normally round cornea, into a cone-like shape. 

 Intraocular -  This means “in the eye.” Thus, intraocular lens implants are artificial lenses that are implanted in the eye. 

Retina - The retina is light-sensitive tissue that lines the back of the eye, onto which light is focused. The retina converts the light rays into impulses that are transmitted, through the optic nerve, to the brain, where they are interpreted into the image a person sees. 

Refractive Error -  A refractive error is a visual error that is caused by irregularities in the shape of the eye and prevents an individual’s eye from focusing properly, causing a myriad of problems. 

Macula -  It is located near the center of the retina and is a yellowish oval that is responsible for detailed central vision.

Myopia -  This is a condition called nearsightedness, where a patient has difficulty seeing things in the distance.

Ophthalmologist - This medical or osteopathic doctor specializes in the medical and surgical care of the eyes and visual system. 

Pterygium - This is called “surfer’s eye,” and is a condition, where the growth of a noncancerous lesion in the white part of the eye. It is caused by prolonged exposure to the sun or other ultraviolet light rays.

Presbyopia – This is farsightedness that is caused by a loss of elasticity of the eye lens.

PRK – Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) is an alternative to LASIK. It improves vision by reshaping the curvature of the cornea to correct the refractive error causing the vision problem.

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All about Ketatoconus

Any eye clinic in Dubai would have at some time or the other treated patients with various eye conditions including cataracts in Dubai and Keratoconus in Dubai.

Many of these conditions can be treated with lenses and corrective glasses if identified early, but if they are left unattended patients may need eye surgery in Dubai to correct their vision.

Keratoconus is one such eye condition which can even affect the young population as much as the elderly. This eye condition is one in which the middle section of the cornea starts to thin out. This will lead to the cornea made to bulge out to look almost like a cone shape. This will not only affect the eyes proportion but also it can impact the eye sight significantly.

Research is still being done to understand what causes this eye condition. One reason is found to be that frequent rubbing of the eyes can lead to this condition. It is not a common eye condition and in general seen in about one in two thousand people. Blurred vision and distortion are few of the early symptoms of this eye condition. This condition can be controlled and corrected in the early stages with corrective glasses and/or lenses. Frequent checkups will be required to keep track and monitor any changes and improvements as the power of the lens will need to be adjusted with the changes.

Though this eye condition may not lead to complete blindness it should still be diagnosed and treated in time before it can cause legal blindness. The best known treatment for keratoconus is known as cross linking. Eye doctors make use of riboflavin drops to saturate the cornea, which is activated with ultraviolet light. Laser will be used at the end to get the best result from the treatment and get the eye sight restored to their normal functionality and appearance. This will also automatically help to rectify other eye issues.

Another treatment option is the use of contact lenses implantation. This is the task of implanting contact lenses permanently which will correct issues related to focusing. This is a convenient method for individuals who are used to wearing contact lenses, but these individuals can never undergo laser eye surgeries.

Do ring up your eye clinic today to book an appointment if you are experiencing any difference in your vision, it could be something that can be easily treated if diagnosed early.

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Stargardt’s Disease

Ebsaar Eye Surgery Center is a specialized eye clinic in Dubai that sees patients with visual difficulties and diseases. Our eye clinic is always at the forefront of technology and research to ensure that all our visiting patients get the best eye care treatment available in Dubai. We treat many diseases related to the eyes like Cataracts, Glaucoma and see patients with low vision quality. We specialize in Lasik treatment as well as Keratoconus.

Stargardt’s disease, similar to Macular Degeneration, but is diagnosed in young children and adults as an inherited disease.

Stargardt’s disease scientifically referred to as fundus flavimaculatus or Stargardt’s Macular dystrophy (SMD). This affects approximately one in 10,000 individuals, defined by the loss of central vision early life not caused by external factors like the environment or nutrition.

The retina contains light sensitive cells rods and cones. Cones cells are sensitive to colour and are more concentrated in the center of the retina. This area of the retina also called the yellow spot. The rods, which are cells sensitive to black and white colour are in the peripheral region of the yellow spot and is responsible for black and white vision.

The retina is protected by a thin yellow covering of epithelial cells, made up of vitamin A. The outer skin of the retina, acts as natural sunglasses protecting the inner eye from harsh UV damage. Stargardt’s disease is when these epithelial cells degenerate and clump together forming dark yellow spots preventing light from reaching the retina. Usually the disease begins in the center of the retina, which is why it affects the central vision first. Gradually, the disease spread to the rest of the retina causing semi blindness and eventually complete blindness.

Studies suggest aggregation or “clumping” of vitamin A in the retina may be associated both with Stargardt’s disease and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). These clumpy deposits are known as “vitamin A dimmers”.

Causes of Stargardt’s Disease

Stargardt’s disease is a hereditary disease that does not have a medical cure as yet The disease is transferred to children when both parents suffer from Stargardt’s Disease. Studies have revealed that the disease is caused by a mutation of a gene that is responsible for processing vitamin A in the eye. However, parents who are only carriers of the recessive gene also transfer this disease to the children.

How fast does Stargardt’s disease progress?

The progression of Stargardt’s disease differs from person to person and vision problems can begin in early childhood to late teens. However, in some cases the onset of the disease does not begin until mid adulthood. As Stargardt’s disease is the degeneration of light sensitive cells, some studies show that by protecting your eyes with proper prescription glasses or wearing medically prescribed sunglasses reduces the progress of this disease.

What are the treatments for Stargardt’s disease?

There are no known treatments so far for Stargardt’s disease. However, initial stem cell research has shown 100% improvement in rats that have a similar type disease. Phase 1 and 2 of the clinical trials began in 2011 and scientists are hopeful that a cure will be found to counteract the onset of Stargardt’s Disease.