Hello everyone, my name is Emily and I have a condition called keratoconus. You may be wondering what that is and how it affects me. Well, let me tell you a bit about it.
Keratoconus is a condition that makes the front part of my eye (the cornea) thin and bulge out like a cone. This makes my vision blurry and distorted, and sometimes I see double or halos around lights. It also makes my eyes very sensitive to light and glare, which can be annoying especially when I drive at night.
I have had keratoconus for about 4 years now, and it has been getting worse over time. It usually affects both eyes, but one of my eyes is worse than the other. I have to change my contact lenses often because my vision keeps changing. I used to wear soft contact lenses, but they didn't fit well on my cone-shaped corneas. Now I wear special hybrid contact lenses that have a hard center and a soft edge. They are called SynergEyes ClearKone lenses and they help me see better and more comfortably.
But even with these lenses, I still have problems with my vision. Sometimes I get headaches or eye strain from trying to focus. Sometimes I get irritation from wearing the lenses too long. Sometimes I worry that my lenses will fall out or get damaged. And sometimes I just wish I could see normally without any lenses at all.
My aunt also has keratoconus and she had to have a surgery called corneal transplant when she was in her 30s. This is when they replace the damaged part of your cornea with a healthy one from a donor. She told me that the surgery was not easy and that she had to take many medications and eye drops afterwards. She also said that there was a risk of rejection or infection and that she had to wait a long time for a suitable donor.
I am afraid that someday I might need to have a corneal transplant just like my aunt. That's why I am considering having another treatment called corneal crosslinking. This is when they use special eye drops and ultraviolet light to make your cornea stronger and stop it from getting worse. This treatment is not a cure for keratoconus, but it may prevent me from needing a transplant in the future.
I have heard mixed opinions about corneal crosslinking. Some people say that it works well and that it improves their vision and quality of life. Some people say that it doesn't work at all and that it causes more problems than it solves. Some people say that it is too expensive or too risky or too painful. I don't know what to believe or what to do.
That's why I decided to write this blog post and share my story with you. Maybe some of you have keratoconus too or know someone who does. Maybe some of you have had corneal crosslinking or are thinking about having it. Maybe some of you can give me some advice or support or encouragement.
I would love to hear from you and learn from your experiences. Thank you for reading my blog post and for being part of my journey with keratoconus.
Emily