Keratoconus is an eye disease that is characterized by deformation of the cornea. At the first manifestation of keratoconus symptoms, treatment and the transfer of control over the situation to the hands of doctors should be followed immediately. If you delay and start the disease, then your vision will deteriorate, you can lose it. Even with timely measures taken, not in all cases it remains impeccable. The choice of treatment for keratoconus will depend on many circumstances.
Manifestation
With this disease, the corneas of the eyes become thinner due to the destruction of the protein bases. They begin to come out under the pressure of intraocular fluids. Eyes become convex or conical, there is a high risk of rupture or cracking of the cornea. A person becomes myopic, cannot see objects that are in the distance, everything that he sees is doubled. And this can not be fixed with glasses or contact lenses, everything that he goes over does not fit. All the same, all small objects look distorted, and this is especially noticeable during reading. At the initial stage, he begins to see worse in the dark. Scars appear on the cornea.
It must be borne in mind that this disease can develop over several years, without making itself felt in the first few months. Sometimes after years, she does not reach severe forms, goes into remission. But one cannot pin hopes on such an outcome; for any sign of this disease, it must be treated.
Treatment
Which keratoconus treatment method is chosen will depend on the stage of its development. Traditionally, two options are offered. In the first case, this is the treatment of keratoconus surgery. In the second - conservative methods using medicines and special optics. With surgical intervention, the prognosis is more favorable, but at the initial stage of the disease, such a radical approach may be unnecessary. Ophthalmologists will prefer the use of gentle methods.
Operation
This is a relatively new type of treatment for keratoconus. During the operation, corneal rings are implanted, the installation of which does not allow further bulging of the corneas, they remain in the correct position. It is important to know that in the treatment of the disease only in the second or third stage, keratoplasty is performed. During it, the cornea is removed and the donor material is implanted. In 90% of cases, after such treatment of keratoconus, the eyes begin to see very sharply, vision approaches 100%.
However, today there is an even more advanced way to get rid of the disease. Increasingly, treatment of keratoconus in clinics is carried out through crosslinking. This procedure lasts about 40 minutes, after it a long rehabilitation is not needed. Riboflavin is dripped into the eyes, saturating them with useful substances, and then another intervention begins. The cornea is laser-treated, which is why they harden and become stiff. This prevents their protrusion, they are fixed in position. But it must be borne in mind that vision after such an operation will not become sharper, although the disease will be cured. She will not have any dangerous consequences. According to reviews, the treatment of keratoconus in this way will cost 35 thousand rubles per eye. The final price will depend on the clinic and the city in which the surgery is performed. The result will be temporary, and after 5 years the procedure will need to be repeated, otherwise the cornea will blur again.
According to reviews, the treatment of keratoconus by implantation of the cornea will cost 40-50 thousand rubles for each eye. However, such surgical intervention is possible only with certain indications.
Varieties of operations
There are several varieties of keratoplasty. This operation, aimed at eliminating corneal defects by transplanting donor materials, can have different goals.
There is an optical, therapeutic and cosmetic keratoplasty. Sometimes these goals can be combined.
Optical surgery is aimed at restoring or improving the transparency of the cornea, increasing visual acuity. Therapeutic is aimed at preventing the development of the disease, eliminating eye damage. Cosmetic surgery is done to improve the appearance of the eyeball, to reconstruct its congenital or acquired deformities.
In some cases, a medical operation aimed at preventing the development of pathology gives optical effects, but most often this does not happen.
Hard lenses
At the initial stage, the disease is cured with the help of special hard lenses. In fact, only the middle part inserted into the soft material is rigid. These devices slow down the development of the disease, but they also require the help of medications. Not in all cases this method saves from an ailment. Everything will depend on many factors that only a doctor will take into account during the treatment of keratoconus in the clinic.
Glasses
This method of treatment is never used on its own. Glasses simply allow you to maintain visual acuity, but not slow down the development of the disease. To combat the disease, special optics are needed, which is also prescribed for astigmatism.
You need to know that she will not be able to help after 3 years from the onset of the disease. After this period, it will be possible to cure it only with the help of surgical intervention.
Drops
Drops for the eyes are used only as an additional means of saturating the cornea with useful substances. The most commonly prescribed treatment is Taufon. This tool allows you to slow the progression of the disease.
At the same time, metabolic processes in the eyes are stimulated, vision, cell regeneration improves. The cornea is also partially restored, but this effect is not enough to completely prevent its protrusion.
"Solcoseryl"
This is a special gel that promotes the process of tissue regeneration, accelerating metabolic processes in the visual organ. It slows down the oxidative processes in it and enhances its supply of nutrients that are delivered through the bloodstream.
Among the less effective, but at the same time sparing means, there are many other drops and gels that are combined with other conservative methods of treating the disease. These include Quinax, Kornegel, Balarpan. They most often act as a supporting tool when wearing hard lenses. Their use is explained by the fact that when the lens is constantly worn, the eye has to be in contact with a foreign object on an ongoing basis, and it must be protected from all kinds of infections. The role of protection is given to drops and gels.
ethnoscience
Treatment of keratoconus with folk remedies is widely practiced to this day, considered to be quite the place to be a method of healing from an ailment. His methods are aimed at a general strengthening effect. According to reviews, the treatment of keratoconus is best done with decoctions and herbal infusions with chamomile and sage. These herbs are poured with boiling water in the proportion of one tablespoon of herbs per 0.5 liters of water. Treatment of keratoconus with the alternative method consists in washing the eyes twice a day with this infusion. Thus, the corneas are strengthened, and the soreness, which always manifests itself in the process of tissue destruction, comes to naught.
Treatment of keratoconus with folk remedies includes the use of tea with rosehip, mint and lemon balm. Together with honey, these herbs increase immunity, which leads to the strengthening of eye tissues. But you need to be aware that none of the unconventional methods can cope with the disease like keratoconus treatment centers using official methods of control.
All of the above methods will work only in the early stages of the disease, for preventive purposes, or will be supported during rehabilitation after the main course. Of course, traditional medicine, according to reviews, contributes to the treatment of keratoconus, having a beneficial effect on the prognosis, but is not a driving force in getting rid of it: not a single remedy will correct the cornea in place.
Most often, with the official treatment of the disease, the following folk remedies are combined:
- First of all, apply an aqueous solution of aloe, simply by digging their eyes. This is a universal advice for many diseases associated with eyeballs.
- Sometimes an aqueous solution with honey is instilled into the cornea.
- They try to eat honey, carrots and blueberries more often.
- Be sure to do exercises for the eyes.
You should always remember that you need to contact specialists as soon as at least one alarming symptom is identified. Noting that these tips do not improve the vision, you should immediately go to the ophthalmologist for traditional treatment.
Nutrition
Lost vision is restored in many respects due to a change in diet. General health procedures will not harm anyone, so the best solution is to make adjustments to your life, regardless of the presence of eye diseases.
Paul Bragg, the creator of the theory of healing, who lived to be 97 years old, advised to exclude salty foods from the diet. The thing is that chlorine, which contains salt, is poison for the body, for the eyes in particular.
It is necessary to reduce the consumption of sugar, smoked meats. Stop eating confectionery, drink sweet sparkling water. You need to cross out white bread, canned food and salted fish from your diet. Tea and coffee are not good.
Significant improvement in well-being can be achieved by quitting smoking and drinking alcohol.
Everything that contains sugar will be useful to replace with honey. At first, the rejection of salted meat will restore taste buds. After a while, the food will acquire other shades of taste, and meat without salt will seem tasty.
Among the foods that you can leave in your diet, Bragg lists any meat, entrails, vegetables, and fruits. Be sure to leave the fish, eggs, seafood and green tea with juices. It will not be out of place to include nuts and seeds in the diet, as well as black or grain bread.
It is good for your health to refuse food before going to bed. When choosing products, you should give preference to those in which there are no E-xxx (preservatives) in the composition.
Rehabilitation
After surgery on the cornea, eliminating keratoconus, thin seams remain in it. It is they who hold the donor tissue. Sutures can last up to one year. Their presence makes it possible to engage in moderate physical activity. It is important not to forget to check their condition, referring to a specialist who carries out medical monitoring.
Finally, the wound after surgery will be healed only six months or a year after its implementation. For this reason, all this time, immediately after leaving the clinic, it will be necessary to carry out treatment at home. It will consist of instillation of drops or the use of ointments. It must be remembered that any contact with the eye is made with washed hands with a mirror from a prone position. You can connect family people to use the techniques that were shown in the clinic.
In no case can you independently change the order of use of the Dexason, Prednisone, or Cortisone tablets, which the doctors will prescribe. They are always accepted only according to a strict scheme.
In the process of treatment, they are sure to refuse salty foods, reduce the amount of salt in the diet, increase the consumption of dairy products, potassium salts (dried apricots, raisins).
All the first month you can sleep only on your back, and later on on the side that is opposite to the eye that underwent surgery. Special changes in food can not be made, but you can not drink alcohol and vitamin complexes. A surplus of confectionery can affect the recovery.
The body will benefit from light physical exertion, but without jumping, running and tilting. You should not be in the sun all the first year, direct sunlight should be avoided. It is contraindicated to sunbathe, as this can provoke an inflammatory process in the operated cornea.
She needs protection in the cold season. The eye must be covered with blindfolds, opening it into the room. Use darkened glasses. The cornea, which was transplanted, will be not so sensitive for several months, and sometimes even years.
For this reason, it is worth avoiding physical effects on it. The eye can not be rubbed with strong movements, it is worth exercising accuracy during washing. When a strong wind blows, it is better to cover the cornea, and in severe frost in the next 2 years do not appear on the street. All this will protect the eye from damage and frostbite.
It is allowed to go to museums, theaters and cinema, but this should not be associated with tight and difficult trips in public transport.
They begin work in a limited format after 2-4 months, the final decision on this period will depend on the state of the tissues and the nature of the work. An increase in workload should occur gradually, but the whole first year is definitely contraindicated in work where you need to tilt your head down, move a lot, run and engage in heavy physical labor. When you go to work, you should not forget to appear at the ophthalmologist every few months throughout the first year of rehabilitation. This is especially true for those who did not remove the seams.
At the slightest sign of redness, discomfort, lacrimation, you should immediately contact a specialist. Early treatment of the disease will help prevent vision impairment.
Where to treat
Treatment of keratoconus in Moscow is carried out in many clinics using the most modern means. Hybrid, hard and soft lenses are used, crosslinking is performed, implantation is performed, damaged layers of the cornea are removed.
It is best to choose a keratoconus clinic according to the rating of ophthalmological centers. There are more than 10,000 such institutions in Russia. It is impossible to compile their rating, but of those that are most actively advertised, three are in the lead: Moscow Eye Clinic, Clinic of Doctor Shilova, MNTK Microhurirgy Eye named after S. Fedorov.
During the treatment of keratoconus in Moscow, the diagnosis of the disease is carried out already at the first visits and consultations. It is recommended that you choose an institution that provides related services for quick diagnosis. This reduces treatment time.
Keratoconus treatment in Krasnodar is carried out in more than ten clinics with advanced technologies. It’s easy to find a specialist who is suitable for a particular patient, but it’s best to choose institutions that perform brain tomography and ultrasound of the eyeball. So, in the treatment of keratoconus to the clinic of Fedorov, it is possible to undergo a full examination on the spot, which significantly saves the patient's time.
If symptoms such as tearfulness, redness of the eyes, and visual impairment are detected, an appointment with a doctor should be made immediately. Slowing down to a specialist will lead to the development of the disease.
Keratoconus treatment in Smolensk is carried out by more than 50 ophthalmologists. It will not be difficult to choose a course for any diagnosis and for any budget.
Establishing diagnosis
The main first sign of the onset of keratoconus development is a person’s complaint that the glasses changed too often too quickly and astigmatism increased. Although symptoms are more pronounced on one cornea, they both always suffer. Someone may be disturbed by the manifestations of allergic reactions, eyeballs may itch.
In addition to a sharp decrease in visual acuity, patients complain of discomfort: photophobia begins when the eyes become too sensitive to natural or artificial light. In some cases, they stop driving at night due to motion blur. Sometimes everything doubles, what happens due to deformation of the cornea in this disease.
Astigmatism is noted in all patients, it progresses quite actively. Because of this, objects far away are distorted.
During the diagnosis of keratoconus, retinoscopes are used that identify the main signs of the disease. Keratometers measuring corneal deformity are also widely used. Using video keratography techniques, topographic changes in the cornea are monitored.
Nevertheless, it must be remembered that all these devices are somehow limited in accuracy. Not in all cases their data will be 100% correct. For this reason, doctors take into account a whole range of objective signs, complaints of the patient.
Always at the first stage of the examination pay attention to the presence of the Fleischer ring, the pigment that forms in the epithelium of the eye. This is the surest sign of keratoconus development. To notice it, use a cobalt filter that gives a dark blue glow. This pigment will be the most distinct and widespread in the early stages of the disease, and then begins to thin out.
The next characteristic sign of disease progression is considered to be atrophic stretch marks - Vogt bands. These are thin vertical lines on the cornea that become noticeable at high magnification. According to official data, 98% of people suffering from keratoconus had a Fleischer ring, 60% had Vogt strips. More than 50% of people who applied for help have been found to have scars in the eye.
The disease itself is subdivided into 3 types: weak keratoconus, medium and developed.
With a weak keratoconus, there are practically no external signs of the disease. Cause any suspicion can only a constant change of points on any eye. Accurate diagnosis is carried out by topographic examination of the cornea, which reveals curvature in them.
Already at this stage, Vogt bands appear in 40% of patients, and iron in the form of a ring is deposited in the epithelium, which will eventually grow into a Fleischer ring.
Average keratoconus is characterized in 20% of cases by eye scarring. The “scissor effect”, the deformation of the cornea, is clearly expressed.
At this stage, the Fleischer ring appears in 60% of patients.
If keratoconus is developed, then corneal scarring occurs in 70% of cases, acute edema of this zone is manifested.
Conclusion
At the first sign of discomfort associated with the eyes, it is best to contact an ophthalmologist. Timely initiated treatment will prevent the possibility of the appearance of negative consequences of the disease. New methods of treating keratoconus can achieve complete elimination of the disease in 95% of cases. According to statistics, only 10-20% of patients ultimately need a corneal transplant if a good result is not achieved using conservative methods. Most of the situation is able to stabilize without surgery.