Keratoconus: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment in Orange CountyExpert Eye Care from Orange County’s Leading Specialists
Expert information about keratoconus from Orange County's leading eye care specialists. Learn about symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and the latest treatment options.
Expert information about keratoconus from Orange County's leading eye care specialists. Learn about symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and the latest treatment options.
Keratoconus — At a Glance
Severity & Type
When to See a Doctor
Schedule an appointment promptly. Early treatment significantly improves outcomes.
Key Symptoms
- Blurred or distorted vision that glasses no longer correct
- Ghosting, doubling or streaking of light
- Frequent prescription changes
- Increased sensitivity to light and glare
- Halos and starbursts around headlights at night
Treatment Options
- Corneal Cross-Linking (CXL)
- Scleral Contact Lenses
- Custom OneFit Scleral Lenses
- Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) Lenses
- Hybrid Contact Lenses
Looking for Specialized Keratoconus Care?
For comprehensive keratoconus care, visit our dedicated Keratoconus Center at keratocones.com.
What is Keratoconus?
Keratoconus is a progressive corneal disease. The cornea — the clear front window of the eye — thins and bulges forward into a cone shape. That cone bends light unevenly, so vision becomes blurred, doubled and streaky, and glasses stop working well. Keratoconus usually starts in the teens or twenties and can keep changing into the forties. It is not blindness and it is not something you caused, but it does need watching, because the damage that has already happened cannot be undone. Two things matter: stopping the cone from getting worse, and getting your vision back. Corneal cross-linking does the first. Scleral and other specialty contact lenses do the second. Dr. Bonakdar has fitted more than 5,000 keratoconus and scleral lens patients in Orange County, including patients other practices could not fit.
At EyeCare Center of Orange County, we specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of keratoconus. Our experienced optometrists use state-of-the-art technology to provide comprehensive care and help preserve your vision.
Common Symptoms of Keratoconus
If you're experiencing any of these symptoms, schedule a comprehensive eye examination:
Blurred or distorted vision that glasses no longer correct
Ghosting, doubling or streaking of light
Frequent prescription changes
Increased sensitivity to light and glare
Halos and starbursts around headlights at night
Difficulty driving after dark
Eye strain and headaches from squinting
Sudden clouding of vision (corneal hydrops)
Constant urge to rub the eyes
Treatment Options for Keratoconus
We offer comprehensive treatment options tailored to your specific needs:
Corneal Cross-Linking (CXL)
The only treatment that slows or stops keratoconus from getting worse. Riboflavin (vitamin B2) drops and controlled ultraviolet light add new bonds between the collagen fibres of the cornea, so the cornea stiffens. It does not sharpen your vision — it protects the vision you still have. The earlier it is done, the more cornea there is to protect.
How cross-linking worksScleral Contact Lenses
A large gas-permeable lens that rests on the white of the eye and vaults right over the cone, so it never touches the damaged cornea. The space under the lens fills with sterile saline and becomes a new, perfectly smooth optical surface. Most keratoconus patients read several lines further down the chart with a scleral lens than with glasses.
Scleral lens fittingCustom OneFit Scleral Lenses
A fully custom scleral design for corneas that a standard scleral lens cannot settle on — very steep cones, off-centre cones, transplanted corneas and eyes with scarring. Each quadrant of the lens edge can be adjusted on its own so the lens sits level and comfortable.
Custom scleral lensesRigid Gas Permeable (RGP) Lenses
A small rigid lens that sits on the cornea itself. It masks mild and moderate cones well and costs less than a scleral lens, but it moves with every blink, so it suits patients whose cone is central and whose eyes are not dry.
Hybrid Contact Lenses
A rigid centre for clear optics bonded to a soft outer skirt for comfort. A useful middle step for patients who see well with an RGP lens but cannot tolerate the way it feels.
Corneal Topography & Progression Monitoring
A scan that maps the whole surface of the cornea and measures the steepest point (Kmax). Repeating the scan on a schedule is how we prove whether the cone is stable or still moving — that answer decides whether you need cross-linking now or only watching.
Pediatric & Teen Keratoconus Care
Keratoconus moves fastest in young patients, so a teenager with a new diagnosis is monitored more closely than an adult. We also look for the habits that drive progression, especially eye rubbing from allergy, and treat those at the same time.
Keratoconus in children and teensIntacs Corneal Implant Co-Management
Small clear arcs placed inside the cornea by a corneal surgeon to flatten the cone and make it more regular. Dr. Bonakdar is an optometrist, not a surgeon, so the procedure is done by the surgeon we refer to. We do the measurements before, and the lens fitting after.
Corneal Transplant Co-Management
Fewer than one keratoconus patient in ten ever needs a transplant, and modern specialty lenses have made it rarer still. When it is needed, the surgery is done by a corneal surgeon and we handle the follow-up care and the lens fitting on the new cornea.
Dry Eye Management for Lens Wearers
A dry ocular surface makes a scleral lens fog, cloud over and feel gritty by mid-afternoon. Treating the dryness first is often what turns a lens you can wear for four hours into a lens you can wear all day.
Dry eye treatmentSecond Opinions & Failed-Fit Rescue
If you have been told your cornea cannot be fitted, or you have a lens that hurts, fogs or falls out, bring it in. Most failed fits are a lens edge or vault problem, not a cornea problem, and can be solved with a different design.
Keratoconus Treatment Program
The full pathway in one place: diagnosis and topography, the decision about cross-linking, the lens fitting, and the yearly checks that keep it stable.
Our keratoconus programClinical Images
High-resolution clinical photographs showing various presentations of keratoconus.
Why Choose EyeCare Center of Orange County?
Over 30 Years of Experience
Dr. Alexander Bonakdar has been serving Orange County since 1991 with specialized expertise in corneal disease.
Advanced Diagnostic Technology
We utilize the latest equipment for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of keratoconus.
Personalized Treatment Plans
Every patient receives customized care based on their unique needs and condition severity.
Comprehensive Eye Care
From diagnosis to treatment and follow-up care, we provide complete support throughout your treatment journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is keratoconus diagnosed?
With corneal topography. The scan maps the whole front surface of your cornea and shows the cone as a hot spot, long before the cone is visible in a normal eye exam. Glasses and a standard chart test cannot find early keratoconus — that is why it is so often missed and treated as ordinary astigmatism for years.
Will keratoconus make me go blind?
No. Keratoconus does not cause blindness. It distorts vision, sometimes severely, but the retina and optic nerve are not affected, and almost every patient can be given usable vision again with the right lens. The real risk is not blindness — it is losing correctable vision by letting the cone progress untreated.
Can keratoconus be treated without surgery?
Yes, for most patients. Specialty contact lenses restore clear vision without any surgery at all. Corneal cross-linking is a treatment, not true surgery — nothing is cut and nothing is implanted. Intacs and transplants are surgical, and only a small minority of patients ever need them.
What is corneal cross-linking and do I need it?
Cross-linking uses riboflavin drops and ultraviolet light to stiffen the cornea so the cone stops advancing. You need it if your topography scans show the cone is still changing. If your scans have been stable for years, you may only need monitoring. That is a measurement question, not an opinion — we repeat the scan and compare.
Does cross-linking improve my vision?
Usually only a little. Cross-linking is there to stop the disease, not to correct it. Many patients flatten slightly over the following year, but the reason to do it is to protect the cornea you have. You will still need lenses afterwards, and scleral lenses fit very well on a cross-linked cornea.
Do scleral lenses hurt?
No. Because a scleral lens vaults over the cornea and lands on the white of the eye, it never touches the sensitive part. Most patients say it feels less noticeable than a soft lens. Inserting it takes practice for the first week or two, and we teach that in the office until you are confident.
I was told my cornea cannot be fitted. Is that true?
It is almost never true. In the large majority of failed fits the problem is the lens design, not the eye — the vault was wrong, the edge was digging in, or the lens was chosen off a standard set instead of being made for that eye. Bring the old lenses with you; they tell us a lot about what to change.
Can I have LASIK if I have keratoconus?
No. LASIK removes corneal tissue, and a keratoconic cornea is already too thin and too weak. Laser surgery on it makes the cone worse. Keratoconus is a permanent reason not to have LASIK, and any surgeon who screens properly will refuse. If you were turned down for LASIK and told your corneas are irregular, get a topography scan — that is often how keratoconus is first found.
Does eye rubbing make keratoconus worse?
Yes. Hard, repeated rubbing is one of the few risk factors you can actually control, and the link is well established. Most rubbing comes from allergy or dry eye, so we treat the itch rather than just telling you to stop. This matters most in children and teenagers.
Is keratoconus hereditary?
Partly. About one keratoconus patient in ten has a close relative with it, so the risk in a family is higher than in the general population. If you have keratoconus, it is worth having your children scanned in their early teens — early cross-linking protects far more vision than late cross-linking.
At what age does keratoconus stop getting worse?
It usually slows in the late thirties and forties, but there is no age at which it is guaranteed to stop, and pregnancy can restart it. Stability is proven by repeat scans, not by a birthday.
How long do scleral lenses last?
A scleral lens typically lasts one to two years before the surface scratches enough to need replacing. The fit is rechecked yearly, because the cornea and the eye can change and a lens that vaulted correctly last year may sit too low this year.
Does insurance cover Keratoconus treatment?
Most vision and medical insurance plans cover diagnostic exams and medically necessary treatments. We accept most major insurance plans and can help verify your coverage before treatment.
Schedule Your Consultation
Get expert diagnosis and treatment for keratoconus.
Related Conditions
Looking for Specialized Keratoconus Care?
For comprehensive keratoconus care, visit our dedicated Keratoconus Center at keratocones.com.
Keratoconus Specialist
For specialized keratoconus treatment from Orange County's leading specialist, visit keratocones.com — Same week appointments, 5,000+ successful cases.
Visit keratocones.comFind Keratoconus Treatment Near You
Don't Let Keratoconus Impact Your Vision
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- Dry Eye Syndrome
Dry eye syndrome, also called dry eye disease or keratoconjunctivitis sicca, occurs when your tears cannot keep the surface of the eye…
Servicios relacionados
- Scleral Contact Lenses
Custom-designed scleral lenses for irregular corneas, dry eye, and complex vision needs. Expert fitting from an experienced specialist.
- Corneal Cross-Linking (CXL)
FDA-approved treatment to halt the progression of keratoconus by strengthening the cornea with riboflavin and UV light.
Artículos relacionados
- EMR Corneal Reshaping: A Possible Future Keratoconus Treatment
New research uses gentle electrical current to reshape the cornea without surgery. What EMR could someday mean for keratoconus — and what it can’t yet.
- Bowman Layer Onlay Grafting for Advanced Keratoconus
Bowman layer onlay grafting flattens the cornea by up to 6 diopters without the risks of a full transplant. Patients keep wearing scleral lenses.