The specialist in ophthalmology and surgery at ChemHealth Center, Dr. Heba Al-Sayyid Akl, stressed the importance of having community awareness about keratoconus, especially in the Arab region, specifically in the Arabian Gulf and the Middle East, as the disease is widespread, noting that the rate of keratoconus in the Middle East is 15 to 20 times higher than the rate in Europe. .
She stated that keratoconus is a change that occurs in the cornea of the eye, which makes the tissue weak, and it begins The cornea protrudes forward and is convex, which leads to problems with light refraction and blurred vision. She pointed out that keratoconus disease affects young people between the ages of 13 and 18 years, indicating that This disease is characterized by continuous progression until the age of 35 years if left untreated.
She stated that the patient begins to feel blurred vision, in addition to the presence of halos around light, especially in the eyes The night period is when the pupil dilates, and the patient also complains of constantly changing glasses due to lack of clarity Vision. She said: The disease affects people who suffer from vernal ophthalmia, as a result of constant rubbing of the eyes, which weakens them Corneal tissue, which leads to its protrusion, and sometimes the cause is genetic, so the person is susceptible To suffer from keratoconus, so if the father, mother, or one of the brothers suffers from this Disease, it is always recommended to conduct tests to detect the disease early. She confirmed that keratoconus affects both eyes, but there is always one eye that begins before the other. Pointing out that both eyes are treated together, because this saves the other eye before it reaches it the disease. Regarding the diagnosis of the disease, she stated that if symptoms are present, a specialist doctor must be consulted, and an examination will be performed The patient is examined using a device available in the clinic, which indicates the degree of deviation in the patient’s eye during and after the examination It is directed to X-ray and chart the cornea to determine its thickness and degree of convexity, indicating that the chart shows what Whether the patient suffers from keratoconus or not. She emphasized that the treatment method depends on the stage in which the disease was discovered, as it is in the first stage The patient is able to see, and his vision improves significantly by wearing glasses, and there is no significant deterioration In vision, treatment involves stabilizing the cornea, by exposing the eye to light and vitamin drops in a specific way, which leads to… To create bonds between the corneal tissues and make them stronger, in addition to helping stop deterioration, especially The deterioration continues until the age of 35 years in the absence of treatment with corneal stabilization, indicating that Fixation is very important and benefits many patients, and the procedure is done in the eyes, even if only for symptoms In one eye, to save the other eye from deterioration.
She explained that after the installation process, the patient is advised to wear glasses or hard lenses, and he will enjoy it in this case With good visual quality, it must be examined annually. She added: The second stage is when the patient has a deviation in the cornea, and his vision does not improve By wearing glasses or lenses, in this case rings are implanted in the cornea, which works to reduce The percentage of convexity depends on the degree of protrusion, so that the patient can see and see with lenses or glasses.
She continued: As for the advanced stage, the patient suffers from opacities on the surface of the cornea, as a result of the convexity and severe protrusion. Therefore, in this case, he needs a corneal transplant, whether complete or partial, and that depends on the case. This stage is the most difficult, so we always recommend early detection for therapeutic intervention in the early stages of the disease the disease
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