There are 4 stages of keratoconus. This article is from my perspective. The perspective of someone who has lived with KC since the 1990’s.
Furthermore, I also had a cornea transplant due to keratoconus in my right eye. This qualifies me as an expert on living with keratoconus.
In this article the topics we will touch on are:
How Quickly Does Keratoconus Spread?
How quickly does keratoconus spread? The speed in which KC will advance through the stages will differ from person to person.
As an illustration, I was diagnosed at 18 and by 24 I needed a cornea transplant. In my case, the progression of KC was quite aggressive.
I remember waking up one morning, I was around 20 years old, and my vision was completely different from the day before.
So much so that I thought I was just hungover. It never occurred to me that KC could change my vision and life so quickly. In my case, literally overnight.
Although this may be true in my case, your case might differ. You might progress faster and then again your progression could be a lot slower.
For this reason, when we are newly diagnosed with KC, it is imperative that we work closely with our practitioner so that we can monitor our condition for any changes.
When we are diagnosed with KC it is important to realize that KC is a progressive disease and it will progress.
How to Know if Keratoconus is Progressing
How to know if keratoconus is progressing. A sign that our condition is progressing is, if we are wearing glasses, and the prescription has to be changed several times in a short span of time.
This can indicate that major changes are happening to our cornea. Some signs to be on look out for.
- Blurred distorted vision
- Increased sensitivity to light and glare which can cause problems. For example, driving at night with keratoconus.
- As mentioned above, frequent changes in eye glasses prescriptions.
- Sudden worsening or clouding of vision.
4 Stages of Keratoconus
Early Stages of Keratoconus
In the early stages of keratoconus, when there is only minimal distortion in our cornea this could have little or even no effect on our vision.
In the early stages of keratoconus, our vision can be corrected with glasses. Our condition at this point mimics simple astigmatism.
Moderate Keratoconus or Intermediate Stage
What is Considered Advanced Keratoconus?
What is considered advanced keratoconus? At this stage we will experience light to moderate scarring on our cornea. Our corneal misshapedness and visual distortion will also become more pronounced.
In addition, at this stage due to the increasing misshapedness of our cornea. We will need a talented lens fitter to customize our contact lenses as the process of fitting a lens to our cornea becomes more challenging.
The scleral lens for keratoconus at this point, becomes one of the best options for optimal vision restoration.
Severe Keratoconus
Severe keratoconus is the final stage of keratoconus. Corneal distortion is even noticeable to the naked eye as in my case. I could see my coned shaped cornea when I looked in the mirror. Scarring and thinning of the eye are also of concern and could lead to other complications of keratoconus.
At this stage many people find it hard to wear contacts. The severe distortion in the cornea due to keratoconus makes customization of lenses more difficult.
However, at the same time, the advancement in technology to fit lenses has increased so much over the years that even some of the most damaged corneas can be fitted for scleral lenses.
This is also the stage where if the cornea is becoming too thin, as was in my case, we might be a good candidate for a cornea transplant.
Stop or Slow the Progression of Keratoconus
Can we slow down or stop the progression of keratoconus? Yes we can. Despite this being true, the stage that we are in, will be a large factor as to whether or not we are a candidate for treatments to stop or slow down the progression.
As an example, someone who is diagnosed in the early stages, is much more likely to be a good candidate for treatment than someone who is diagnosed in the intermediate stage or has advanced keratoconus.
Each stage will bring more distortion to our cornea resulting in a change in our vision at each stage. Depending on when we are diagnosed there are procedures to slow down the progression of keratoconus.
Early Detection
In order for us to have a chance to slow down the progression of KC, early detection is key. The earlier we can detect the disease the better chances we have to be proactive.
Stages of Keratoconus and My Experience
In my case as mentioned earlier, the progression was aggressive. So much so that it was decided that a transplant was the best course of action.
Keratoconus in my right cornea progressed to severe keratoconus. Keratoconus in my left cornea stabilized on its own in the advanced stage so no transplant was needed.
When I was first diagnosed, the disease was in the early stages, however at that time there were no treatments to slow down keratoconus.
Fast Forward to Today
Today with breakthroughs in technology almost on a monthly basis, we are now at the point where, if detected early, our quality of life with keratoconus can be improved by so much. It’s not uncommon today to slow down and in many cases stop KC from progressing to later stages.
To Summarize
- Early stage
- Moderate or intermediate stage
- Advanced stage
- Severe keratoconus
Discover More About Keratoconus
Don’t stop your journey here! Here is some more in-depth information on the stages of keratoconus.
Dive into a world of knowledge and resources that can empower you in managing keratoconus effectively. Your vision for a clearer future starts with one click.