Keratoconus is a difficult condition to live with. Losing your eye sight can be disruptive and scarey to say the least. But when you already have diabetes it can give you more difficulty, and add great emotional stress to your already complicated health issues. So how do you live with both Keratoconus & Diabetes? Quite simply put, one day at a time!

Diabetes is caused by an over abundance of sugar left in the blood stream after we eat. And while generally our bodies are supposed to naturally clear out the amounts of sugar in the bloodstream on their own there are several things that can keep this from happening properly causing diabetes. The increase amount of sugar in the blood can slowly eat away at the tissue or organs throughout the body, and since our blood travels through all of these organs and areas of the body everything can be effected.

When the sugar levels are elevated in the bloodstream the blood vessels in the eyes, and various parts of the eye can be damaged. This can cause vision problems, glaucoma, and cataracts. If you have been diagnosed with Diabetes and Keratoconus not only can you have diabetic induced vision problems from damage to the blood vessels of the eyes, but the Keratoconus can cause the irregular shape of the cornea. While it is important to get your sugar levels under tight control to prevent further damage to your vision, it is equally important to visit your eye doctor at least 2 times a year for evaluation.

Reporting all vision changes to your eye care professional immediately is also important when dealing with diabetes. If you are diagnosed with Keratoconus remember that there are several options for treatment. Remember that each patient is unique in their situation and what will work best for them. Talking to your eye care professional about what will work best for you will give you an idea of your best options for treatment of Keratoconus. Know that you are not alone and there is hope for treatment of Keratoconus.

More helpful information is at MayoClinic.com

Tags: Diabetes, eye diseases, eye doctor, eye surgery, Health, Keratoconus, Living with, Medication, Treatments
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Genetics

The frequency of keratoconus in first degree relatives having the disease is much higher than the general population. Keratoconus can also be associated with other systemic syndromes such as Down’s syndrome.

The good news is that keratoconus is often not passed to children. If you have or may have children in the future, it’s only a 6% likelihood that any of your children will inherit keratoconus.

It makes sense to have your children have a baseline corneal topography between ages of 8-10 years old and have a topography every year. The subsequent topography maps can be compared to the first one to catch keratoconus early if it will be occurring. Early keratoconus can easily be “nipped in the bud” with a C3-R® treatment before it gets worse.

Quote:

“It seems that both environment and genetics play a role in Keratoconus”

-Says Dr. Brian S. Boxer Wachler, MD.

Free Radicals

All corneas, like any tissues in the body, create harmful byproducts (free radicals) of cell metabolism (metabolism is a fancy word for the activities of the cell required for it to live and do it’s thing). These byproducts are similar to a car’s exhaust that results from the car being driven. Normal corneas, like any other body tissue, have a defense system in place to neutralize the free radicals so they don’t damage the collagen.

The collagen is the equivalent of steel beams that support a building. Damage to those beams causes the building to tilt, just like damage to the collagen causes the cornea to bulge. Think of those free radicals as attacking your collagen fibers in the cornea, trying to thin it and weaken it.

The problem with keratoconus is that anti-free radical system in the cornea (called anti-oxidants) are not properly working, so the free radicals are allowed to overwhelm and wreak havoc on the collagen fibers. They bombard the cornea like mortar fire blasting into a brick wall. The free radicals damage the cornea, thin it, and ultimately allow it to bulge and steepen out. This is how your vision got worse from keratoconus.

For more information visit the American Keratoconus Association

Tags: cornea, eye doctor, eye surgery, Keratoconus, Keratoconus advice, ophthalmic
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When I started college I was an Ocean Lifeguard. At school, I found it harder to focus on textbooks. I thought it was just the chlorine from the pool. I had my eyes checked and I was diagnosed with astigmatism in one eye and I started wearing glasses while studying. As lifeguarding became my chosen profession, I found it hard to focus in the afternoon as the Southern California sun set lower in the sky.

When running out for a rescue, I would often lose my prescription sunglasses. I tried soft lenses, but sand got under them and that was uncomfortable. The lenses often slid up behind my eyes and even floated away when I swam. I often went without correction because of the irritation. By late afternoon I would see double images of objects far away, such as a boat on the horizon.

When laser eye surgery became available, I was excited. However, I was discouraged to learn that I had keratoconus in one eye and was not a candidate for LASIK. I came across an article and some studies by Dr. Boxer Wachler. I was optimistic after my first meeting with him in 1999. He explained a new procedure Intacs that would help correct my keratoconus and vision. Back then Intacs had not been reported on a patient with keratoconus in the United States, but he felt it was ready to be attempted. As I was a good candidate, I welcomed the opportunity.  A week after surgery, the vision in that eye improved to a great degree. I was able to see nearly equally with both eyes and it was unnecessary to wear glasses or contacts at work. After a few months I noticed that I was relying more and more on the corrected eye!

It has now been about eight years since I had Intacs and I still do not wear corrective lenses. I am able to pick objects out of the glare on the horizon and street signs on the freeway well before I need to turn. The freedom I have gained and the confidence I now have in my vision has proven invaluable to me and my ability to continue in my profession.

The ability to see well in lifeguarding is critical, and I no longer have the worry that I might miss something that could result in someone’s pain, suffering or their life. I owe this self assuredness to Dr. Boxer Wachler and to Intacs.

I feel fortunate to have been at the right place at the right time in history. I can appreciate the saying, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” I am glad that my pioneering experience helped pave the way for the thousands of other patients who have subsequently benefited from innovative advancements for keratoconus. I am pleased to dedicate this book to the thousands of future patients who will benefit from these innovations.

- Kenny Atkins, first reported Intacs® for

keratoconus patient in the United States

Learn more about keratoconus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keratoconus

Tags: cornea, eye diseases, eye doctor, Intacs, Keratoconus, Keratoconus Inserts, Keratoconus syptoms, Keratoconus Treatment, Keratoconus treatments, ophthalmic, patient experiences
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