Our eyes are our most sensitive organs. Sometimes there may be problems such as itching and burning. Allergic diseases can also often affect the eyes, showing symptoms such as redness, watering, burning and itching.
In such cases, Eye Diseases Specialist Op. Dr. Sibel Şalvarlı, who stated that rubbing and scratching the eyes for a long time and pressing the eyes may cause corneal deformity, warned allergy sufferers not to rub and scratch their eyes. Drawing attention to the early diagnosis of keratoconus disease, Şalvarlı emphasized that if the disease is not treated, it may result in corneal transplantation.
What Does It Cause?
As a result of constant rubbing and scratching of the eye, the collagen fibers in the cornea weaken, loosen and elongate, which causes thinning, deformity and downward shift in the center of vision. This is called keratoconus. This condition is progressive. The patient's spectacle degrees are constantly changing, the numbers increase, astigmatism occurs, and patients cannot see clearly with new glasses, even if they change their glasses frequently.
Pay Attention to These Symptoms!
- Rapid progression of spectacle numbers
- Predominantly increased astigmatism
- Blurred vision and blurriness
- Inability to see clearly despite frequent changes in the number of glasses
- Phantom images and unexplained light sensitivity
- Early detection requires advanced technology
Since the disease is progressive in keratoconus, early diagnosis is very important. Corneal maps called topography should be taken to diagnose the disease. The first signs of the disease appear on the back of the cornea. Early findings can be missed with maps that only show the front surface of the cornea. For early diagnosis, advanced technology, topography devices that allow evaluation of the front and back of the cornea are required.
Cornea Transplant May Be Required!
The cornea plays a critical role in clear vision as it is the most important layer that covers the front of the eye like a watch glass and plays a role similar to the lens of a camera. As keratoconus affects the cornea, it causes progressive astigmatism in the patient. If caught at an early stage, the progression of the disease can be stopped by surgery called corneal collagen crosslinking or crosslinking (CCL). This is the only treatment method that has a stopping effect. However, if the diagnosis is late, corneal transplantation may be necessary when the cornea becomes very thin and the disease progresses.
