Is keratoconus linked to other conditions? Short answer: yes. Keratoconus is linked to other conditions. Some conditions linked to KC include atopic disease (atopic or allergic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma), Down’s syndrome (5-8% of Down’s patients) connective tissue disorders (Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and osteogenesis imperfecta) to name a few.
Corneal hydrops is another condition linked to keratoconus which can cause complications in our condition. In this article we will discuss a few select other conditions linked to keratoconus.
This is from the perspective of someone who has lived with keratoconus for decades. I am not a medical professional, just an expert on living with keratoconus.
Eye Rubbing and Keratoconus
Eye rubbing has been identified as another condition linked to keratoconus. As an example, in my case when I was younger. I rubbed my eyes pretty aggressively which unknown to me made my condition worse.
Was I rubbing my eyes due to keratoconus or my allergies that I developed? To me it’s unclear, however the rubbing of my eyes helped to speed up the progression of the disease.
Some studies have shown that eye rubbers were 3 times more likely to develop keratoconus than non eye rubbers. In addition, those of us that suffer from keratoconus are aggressive eye rubbers, as in my case.
In fact, we tend to rub our eyes for longer as well, (10 to 180 seconds) one study suggests. Compared to others with no eye condition, rub their eyes less than we do by (<5 seconds), furthermore keratoconus suffers rubbing is often repeated.
Pattern of Eye Rubbing
The pattern in which we rub our eyes, as sufferers of keratoconus, is important as well. For example, knuckle rubbing is more associated with those of us who have keratoconus than, say rubbing with the pulps of our fingers.
As was in my case, along with many KC sufferers, we rub in a circular motion exerting great pressure on the cornea surface.
In contrast, to someone who just has allergies, rub their eyes horizontally using the back of their hand, palm, finger pad and do not exert pressure directly on the cornea.
Atopy(allergies)
Atopy refers to the tendency to develop an exaggerated igE-mediated immune response (allergies). Allergic bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis (hay fever) are the most common manifestations of atopy, followed by atopic dermatitis (eczema) and food allergy.
Atopic traits are more common with those of us in the KC community as compared to those who do not have keratoconus.
Not so Clear
The role of atopy in the development of KC is not clear. This is due to the fact it is difficult to separate atopy from eye rubbing.
This is compounded by the different definitions of atopy and degrees of severity.
One thing is clear however, allergies are an important cause in eye rubbing so this understanding will help to answer. Is keratoconus linked to other conditions?
Hydrops Another Condition Linked to Keratoconus
Hydrops is a complication of keratoconus. This condition is linked to keratoconus. This is a rare condition that causes the Descemet’s membrane to rupture allowing fluid to seep into our cornea. It alters the transparency of the cornea resulting in a milky appearance in the affected area.
Contact Lenses
This is a tricky one. The use of contact lenses for vision restoration in my case, has changed my life. Although this may be true, not all lenses are created equal.
As an example, with the help of my practitioner, I have chosen the scleral contact lens for keratoconus to restore my vision loss, due to keratoconus.
Contact lenses that rest on the cornea can cause micro-trauma to the cornea. The scleral lens for keratoconus vaults over the cornea and does not touch the sensitive cornea thus allowing for less micro-trauma to the cornea.
For keratoconus sufferers who wear contact lenses, it has also been demonstrated to cause eye rubbing above and beyond those who have keratoconus but do not wear contact lenses.
As an example, when I remove scleral lenses after long hours of wear, I want to rub my eyes, obviously now with the knowledge of what rubbing can lead to, I never rub my eyes now, no matter what.
Dry Eyes
Wearing contact lenses for keratoconus has also been shown to increase dry eye signs and symptoms. This condition has unique implications for those of us with keratoconus due to the fact that dry eyes are inflammatory in nature.
Contact Lens and a Cornea Transplant
I had a cornea transplant in the mid 2000’s at the age of 25 due to keratoconus. This puts me at a higher risk of developing other conditions linked to keratoconus.
Prior to my transplant, I wore hard lenses that sat directly on the cornea. They were extremely uncomfortable. As a result, I was unable to continue wearing them.
Many, years later, 2017 to be exact, I was introduced to the scleral contact lens for keratoconus. The comfort was far superior. So much so that I wore them for long hours 13 plus hours at a time.
Complication Linked to Keratoconus
As mentioned above, I did not wearing contacts for many years due to comfort issues. With the help of my practitioner I opted for scleral lenses. The scleral lens restored my vision to 20/20 and changed my life.
Unfortunately, after never having any complications concerning my cornea transplant, I had my first bout with cornea rejection 3 years into wearing my sclerals.
The rejection could have been caused by wearing my lenses for too many consecutive hours. It could’ve possibly been the fit of my lens being slightly off. This could have led to lack of oxygen to the cornea. In turn this could have led to my cornea rejection.
My cornea specialist says it possibly might have been any one of the above. All of the above, or something completely unrelated. Very hard to pinpoint the exact reason.
The course of action was to treat the rejection aggressively with drops. We did this protocol for 3 months and switched my scleral lens prescription to the much more customizable Boston Sights scleral lens. We were able to save the cornea to this day.
Furthermore, during the 3 months protocol I was unable to wear my contact lens in my right eye. Is keratoconus linked to other conditions? In my case the answer is yes.
Which Came First: The Chicken or The Egg?
Perhaps my allergies lead to eye rubbing. As a result, leading to keratoconus, eventually progressing to needing a cornea transplant. Now we need scleral lenses consequently leading to cornea rejection.
Is keratoconus linked to other conditions? If some or all of the above mentioned is factual then the answer is yes. To put it a different way. If I did not have keratoconus, I can say, with a high degree of certainty, I would not have needed a cornea transplant. Nor would I have needed scleral lenses or experienced cornea rejection if I did have keratoconus.
To Summarize
Is keratoconus linked to other conditions? I think we can say yes. In my case, other conditions are clearly linked to keratoconus. In addition, some of my other conditions might be and some are unclear.
Having said this, I think that what we should take from this as KC suffers is that being diagnosed with keratoconus is complicated and every case is different.
Some KC diagnoses could lead to other linked conditions. By the same token, for some of us, keratoconus will not be linked to other conditions.
Keeping in contact with all of our professionals to monitor any changes in our condition is imperative. If we do develop other linked conditions to keratoconus, we can seek out the best advice.
Discover More About Keratoconus
Don’t stop your journey here! 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.