Keratoconus
ICD-10 H18.6 · ICD-11 9A78.50
What Is the Contact Lens Treatment for Keratoconus?
Keratoconus is a progressive corneal condition in which the cornea thins and steepens, producing distorted vision that spectacles alone can no longer fully correct. Once glasses become inadequate, contact lens selection becomes the central management decision.
Clinical Situation
When keratoconus advances to the point where astigmatism can no longer be managed with glasses, contact lenses are the appropriate next step. The lens type best suited to each patient is guided by how far the disease has progressed.
Treatment Approach (Partial Overview)
Management centres on selecting contact lenses matched to disease severity — the approach ranges from options appropriate in milder presentations to more specialised lens designs that address advanced corneal distortion.
References
- When the astigmatism can no longer be managed with glasses, contact lenses are the next step.
- Soft contact lenses may be sufficient in mild KC, with rigid gas-permeable contact lenses becoming necessary in more advanced disease.
- Unlike conventional contact lenses that rest directly on the cornea, scleral lenses have a larger diameter and rest on the sclera, vaulting over the cornea.