Symptoms of Keratoconus


Typically, the first symptoms of Keratoconus may start to show up when you are in your late teens or early twenties. Because this condition is degenerative, the condition gets worse over the next ten to fifteen years. You might choose to ignore the symptoms when they first begin appearing but eventually they will become so noticeable you will have to seek professional advice.

Below are some of the symptoms you might experience:

  • Distorted vision
  • Blurred vision
  • Problems seeing at night
  • Increased photosensitivity (light hurts your eyes)
  • Cloudy vision (caused by a rupture in the back of the cornea)
  • Eye strain
  • Headaches
  • Squinting to see
  • Shadows in your field of vision
  • Seeing double

In addition, your optician may suspect a problem if your prescription for corrective lenses needs to be changed often or if they notice scarring on the cornea.

You may not notice the symptoms as much at first because they may not appear in both eyes at the same time. Generally, both eyes are affected but the degeneration may be at different rates.  Unfortunately, your symptoms may not be recognised by your optician immediately. The early eye problems caused by the changing shape of the cornea are sometimes missed during a routine examination or are viewed as problems caused by other vision issues, such as nearsightedness.

<<<previous page
next page>>>


Laser Eye Surgery Enquiry Form

Complete this form if you would like information about laser eye surgery including costs & suitablity.