Getting the right help in treating keratoconus and astigmatism

1. Getting the right help in treating keratoconus and astigmatism The eye is one of the most important organs. Loss of eyesight is such a real problem today. It is expected that as you age, your eyesight is going to grow weaker and weaker. In some cases, people lose their eyesight completely. This does not have to be the case especially now that there is technology that has made medical care so much more effective. Once upon a time, conditions like astigmatism and keratoconus were extremely difficult to treat. However, now you can get the best treatments for them with such impeccable ease. What are astigmatism and keratoconus? .Astigmatism is a refractive error. It is not a disease as some people assume it is. It is simply a problem in how the eye focuses the light. Usually, the light fails to come to a single focus on the retina thus failing to produce clear vision. Instead there are several points of focus either in front or behind the retina. Keratoconus on the other hand is a progressive disease of the eye. In such a case, the normally round cornea bulges forming a cone-like shape. This conical shape deflects the light entering the eye thus causing distorted vision. The light does not land on the retina as it should. Keratoconus occurs when a person is in their early twenties though some cases have been recorded in the teenage years. Treating keratoconus While treating astigmatism can be quite easy, the same is not the case with keratoconus. People with keratoconus end up spending a lot of money but still do not get the treatment that they deserve. This is why you should always look for the best medical practitioners to provide you with the right treatment options for your case. Remember that the eye is very delicate and with conditions like keratoconus, the eye can get severely damaged. In the treatment of mild keratoconus, there are soft contact lenses and eye glasses that are available. The keratoconus contact lenses tend to be the most preferred option. This however works only when the keratoconus is mild. As the disease progresses and the cornea thins and becomes more irregular in its shape, you will need advanced treatment solutions. Some of the most common treatments for moderate and advanced keratoconus include: Gas permeable contact lenses

2. Custom made soft contact lenses Corneal cross linking Hybrid contact lenses Corneal transplant Corneal transplant comes highly favored by most medical practitioners because it stops the condition from progressing. It is more like you are getting a new eye. However, getting a cornea is not that simple. To start with, it is extremely expensive for many people. Secondly, it is not everywhere that you are able to get a trained practitioner who will carry out the surgical operation. Scleral contact lenses The scleral and mini-scleral lenses are famed for their flexibility. They can be used on people with all sorts of eyes. It does not matter whether you have a hard to fit pair of eyes- these contact lenses will work for you. With these ones, you will not have to worry about the contact lenses constantly slipping off the center of the eye. In the treatment of keratoconus, these lenses are very helpful, first of all because they are comfortable to fit. Additionally, they do not apply pressure to the surface of the eye that is cone- shaped. However, you should make sure that you get the right ones from a trained professional if you are to solve your eye problem. They might be slightly more expensive than other contact lenses but they are extremely helpful.