Here we will address some common concerns we might have when dealing with our keratoconus vision if left untreated.
For this article, we will assume we have yet to receive treatment for keratoconus. We are not using contact lenses or any other aid to restore our vision. We are simply speaking of keratoconus vision without any kind of vision restoration.
Keratoconus Vision Left Untreated
- Will our vision with keratoconus completely deteriorate into darkness?
- Will we be able to carry out our daily tasks?
- What will our work life be like?
- Will we have to make adjustments in our social settings?
Does Keratoconus Cause Blindness?
We are not going blind. We can eliminate that concern immediately. Keratoconus does not cause blindness in the sense of not being able to detect light.
For our brain to send us a clear crisp image, the light must be focused. The more focused the light is entering the cornea, the better our vision is.
Keratoconus vision is a very blurred, two-dimensional smeared view of the world. To get a more detailed definition of what is keratoconus , you can take a look here.
A brief description is, keratoconus is a refractive disorder that is progressive. To put it differently, we can detect light.
However, due to keratoconus, the light that enters through our damaged cornea does not get adequately focused on where it needs to go.
Daily Tasks With Untreated Keratoconus Vision
In the early stages of keratoconus, our vision will not interfere with our daily tasks but as the disease progresses, our life will be affected.
School and Keratoconus Vision
For example, I received my first pair of prescription glasses in elementary school around the age of six. I had not yet been diagnosed with keratoconus at that time.
However, I was in the early stages of keratoconus. At that time, with my glasses, I was able to see well enough and cope with the disease.
Highschool
Once I hit puberty in my first year of high school the disease began to progress much more aggressively. My glasses became less and less useful as keratoconus advanced.
It’s important to understand that this is the normal course of keratoconus. Once we hit puberty, the disease will advance. As the disease progresses, our vision gets worse.
University and Keratoconus Vision
Without help to restore our vision, like scleral contact lenses for keratoconus, for example, things can get tough. Take me for example again. Even sitting in the front row of a lecture hall, I couldn’t see.
Taking notes from a projector became impossible. I also had problems processing what was being said by the professor. We also use our eyes to help us better understand what someone is saying to us.
Work
If we leave our keratoconus untreated, eventually our vision will affect our work. How far down the stages of keratoconus we get to before seeking treatment, will determine how challenging our work will be.
No matter what, there will be some concerns and issues that we will have to deal with in our workplace.
For example, I worked in the kitchen of a hospital in my younger years. My vision got to the point where I couldn’t read menus anymore. The only way I could read them is if I held the menu, literally, under my nose.
We will encounter problems working on computer screens. We eventually will need special accommodations to perform our work. If our keratoconus is left untreated.
Left untreated, keratoconus vision will reduce our work options and performance.
Family, Friends, Relationships
As keratoconus progresses our vision will become blurrier and blurrier. We will begin to process information differently in social settings.
Seeing what people around us look like will become more difficult. I didn’t realize this until I got my vision restored. I was then really able to see the people in my life.
Left untreated, the way we communicate with others will be different as well. Our eyesight is crucial in picking up subtle facial gestures. Focusing on anything will not be possible at some point.
Another example is watching the mouth from far distances. This helps us understand what is being said to us from across the room even across the street.
Left untreated, we will be forced to adapt in social settings.
Driving Day/Night
Keratoconus vision left untreated will take away one of the great freedoms we have. Not all at once, however. In my case, in the early stages of keratoconus, I was able to drive.
However, in my case, as will be in yours,driving with keratoconus at night will get much more stressful as keratoconus progresses through the stages. We will face yet another decision. Continue to drive or not.
Before I got my scleral contact lenses I had to give up driving. By my own choice. First at night, and eventually during the day as well.
Key Takeaways
- We won’t go blind.
- Left untreated keratoconus will present challenges in our workplace.
- Left untreated keratoconus will force us to adapt in social settings.
- Left untreated, keratoconus in the later stages will eventually take away our ability to drive.
In the End
If left untreated,keratoconus will affect our quality of life. That is if, we leave keratoconus untreated.
However, if treated by qualified practitioners, coupled with educating ourselves on our condition and adapting. We can greatly lessen the impact keratoconus will have on our lives.
In fact, I had my vision restored to 20/20 with the aid of my practitioner, Dr. Patrick Simard, and scleral contact lenses. I’m doing things now a few years ago I would have never thought of doing or were possible for myself.
Without treatment, writing this article, and creating this platform would have been much more difficult. Would I have even attempted this, who knows?
If you or someone in your circle is suffering from vision problems, I urge you to get examined by a qualified practitioner immediately.
Early detection of keratoconus and getting treatment is everything.
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