What is Keratoconus? What are its causes?
Keratoconus
is a dystrophic disease, slowly progressive, which
affects sight by thinning and eventually weakening
the cornea, causing it to adopt a cone form. It
usually begins in adolescence. One in every a thousand
people is affected by the disease, equally between
men and women.
Its
causes remain unknown, yet recent research indicates
genetic origin. About 10% of its carriers have other
cases in the family. Allergic patients are also
normally affected. Other conditions associated are
asthma, eczema, Marlin and Down syndromes.
Can I correct it?
Yes.
In its initial stages, treatment consists of visual
correction through the use of eyeglasses, and, most
importantly, contact lenses. Then, as the disease
progresses, the adaptation to lenses worsens, and,
usually, at this stage the surgical indication is
made.
What are the possible treatments?
The
classic surgery for the correction of Keratoconus
is the cornea transplant. The advantage, however,
in delaying the surgery as much as possible is in
the lesser chances of rejection with age.
Two options very commonly used are:
- Conductive Keratoplasty, used to correct the cornea’s
asymmetric astigmatism and reposition the cone centrally;
- The Intrastromal Corneal Ring, which consists
of setting a small ring which increases the cornea’s
stability and allows the use of eyeglasses or contact
lens. The HOLHOS Team counts with over 18 years
of experience in the implanting of the Intrastromal
Corneal Ring (Ferrara’s ring).
The
medical team at Hospital de Olhos de Minas
Gerais (HOLHOS) has a vast experience in
the clinical treatment of Keratoconus, especially
HOLHOS’s director, Dr. Ricardo Guimarães,
who based his doctor thesis about the cornea transplant
and created important techniques such as the Reconstructive
Interlamellar Graft (RIG), a lamellar technique
used in the treatment of Keratoconus.
Dr.
Ricardo Guimarães also actively participated
in the development of the Intrastromal Corneal Ring
procedure, being the surgeon, who, along with Dr.
Paulo Ferrara, performed the first implant of the
ring in a human eye, in 1991.
The
Conductive Keratoplasty, a scientific development
between Dr. Ricardo Guimarães and A. Mendez,
who idealized the project, is done at HOLHOS since
1994. In october of 2006, Dr. Ricardo Guimarães,
Dra. Marcia Guimarães and Dr. Raul Damásio
presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology
the scientific work – Keratoconus, 18 years
of experience with the corneal ring.
With wide experience and excellent infrastructure,
HOLHOS performs a veritable team work with the diagnosis,
treatment and counsel in the visual recovery of
the Keratoconus patient.
Corneas
with an elevated stage of Keratoconus obtain better
results when undergoing cornea transplant. However,
large displacements of the inferior cone are the
best cases for Conductive Keratoplasty. Those techniques
can be used together, but a pre-surgery exam is
fundamental to determine the ideal procedure.
Diagnosis and Treatment in the Hospital
de Olhos de Minas Gerais
Innumerable patients have already benefit from the
available treatment and ca, today, relish in the
comfort of a vision with quality. If interested
in either setting an appointment or even know more
about the subject through our educational videos
or 3D animations – contact us: +55 (31) 3289.2030
or secretaria@holhos.com.br.
