Keratoconus is one of the most commonly occurring corneal diseases, sometimes estimated at one person in three hundred suffering from this debilitating and progressive condition.
This progressive thinning and distortion of the cornea affects people most often in their late teens and early twenties and is more common in men than women. Traditionally the only treatment available was a full thickness corneal graft of donated tissue, however, in the last 5 years new techniques have been developed to halt or significantly reduce the progression. These include Collagen Cross Linking and Intrastromal ring segments. While it is true that some people may proceed to a graft many patients benefit from these procedures.
Corneal dystrophies are also amongst the more frequently seen diseases of the cornea, Fuchs’ Dystrophy being one of the most common. In the past people with Fuch’s Dystrophy had chronic, progressive loss of their best available vision and once again the only treatment was a full thickness graft from donated tissue. Newer surgical techniques now allow a partial, more well tolerated graft to be done called an Endothelial Keratoplasty.