Corneal ectasia is an abnormal thinning of the cornea. The cornea is a transparent tissue covering the front of your eye and helps to focus light entering your eye.
A healthy cornea is essential to maintain clear vision. Although rare, corneal ectasia is a sight-threatening condition that can cause permanent damage to the eye.
There are several causes of corneal ectasia, including:
Post-surgical corneal ectasia is a rare complication of LASIK, but it can cause severe vision problems. Before LASIK surgery, your eye surgeon performs a variety of tests to assess if you are a suitable candidate for the procedure.
These are some factors that influence your risk for post-surgical corneal ectasia, including:
If the surgeon determines you are at a higher risk for corneal ectasia after LASIK surgery, they may recommend an alternative procedure or no surgery altogether.
After LASIK treatment, your eye surgeon will follow up with you over several visits to ensure your eyes are healing properly. These are some potential signs and symptoms of post-LASIK corneal ectasia:
The following tests can help determine if you have corneal ectasia:
If your doctor determines you have corneal ectasia, there are several treatment options available. They may also recommend that you avoid rubbing your eyes as much as possible.
Studies show that excessive eye rubbing can contribute to corneal ectasia.
Treatments range from conservative to invasive, and may include:
For mild cases of corneal ectasia that are not progressive, glasses may provide some vision correction. However, most patients still notice blurry or distorted vision with glasses, especially if they have irregular astigmatism.
These contact lenses offer better visual quality than soft contacts since they can compensate for irregular astigmatism. They include rigid gas permeable lenses, scleral lenses, and hybrid lenses (combination lenses with a rigid portion in the center and a soft skirt on the edges).
This procedure treats post-surgical corneal ectasia, along with keratoconus and pellucid marginal degeneration. Collagen cross-linking works by strengthening and stabilizing the cornea to slow down corneal thinning.
These are small, crescent-shaped implants that are placed into the cornea to flatten out an abnormally steep cornea. This is an effective way to improve irregular astigmatism. Some surgeons combine this procedure with collagen cross-linking, as some studies show added benefits.
This type of surgery, also called keratoplasty, includes penetrating (full-thickness) or lamellar (partial-thickness). A penetrating keratoplasty replaces the entire cornea. Lamellar keratoplasties replace the front and middle layers of the cornea.
Most surgeons prefer lamellar keratoplasties for treating corneal ectasia if the back layer of the cornea is healthy. These procedures are more invasive than other treatments. Surgeons typically reserve corneal transplants for when other treatments fail, or if the ectasia is severe.
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