Hi,
I'm new
I'm 35 and just been told its likely I have Keratoconus, two years ago the doc said it looked like it might be, then because I am lazy and I move around a lot due to my husbands job, I waited two years for my second eye test with another doctor ... which shows that my eye is now in the range of Keratoconus. But it seems I am to old for this... as most websites say the cornea stabilizes in your 30's.
I'm trying to find access to a doctor that can help but I want to make sure I'm doing the right thing.
thanks
Laura
Am I too Old for this?
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redtailross
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Am I too Old for this?
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Lia Williams
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- Location: Surrey
Re: Am I too Old for this?
Hello Laura,
Welcome to the forum
It is true that most people are diagnosed in their late teens or early twenties but it's not unusual to be diagnosed later. Late diagnosis is often for mild cases where vision has been corrected with ordinary glasses or contact lenses.
Corneal cross-linking (CXL) is a treatment for keratoconus which can prevent the condition getting worse. It is generally only recommended for
people whose corneal scans show that their keratoconus is getting worse. Older people do not normally need cross-linking as corneas stiffen with age (natural cross-linking) so keratoconus usually stops getting worse by mid-30s.
This leaflet explains CXL in more detail:
http://www.moorfields.nhs.uk/sites/defa ... king_3.pdf
As you waited two years for another eye test I would guess that your eyes didn't change much in that time - a frequent change in prescription is often as indication that keratoconus is a possibility.
However I'm not an expert. Have you had a referral to an ophthalmologist? They would be able to examine your eyes and assess whether or not cross-linking would be beneficial. Also they might refer you to a specialist optician for contact lenses, but if you can see well with your current glasses or contact lenses this might not be necessary.
Do let us know how you get on,
Lia
Welcome to the forum
redtailross wrote:But it seems I am to old for this... as most websites say the cornea stabilizes in your 30's.
It is true that most people are diagnosed in their late teens or early twenties but it's not unusual to be diagnosed later. Late diagnosis is often for mild cases where vision has been corrected with ordinary glasses or contact lenses.
Corneal cross-linking (CXL) is a treatment for keratoconus which can prevent the condition getting worse. It is generally only recommended for
people whose corneal scans show that their keratoconus is getting worse. Older people do not normally need cross-linking as corneas stiffen with age (natural cross-linking) so keratoconus usually stops getting worse by mid-30s.
This leaflet explains CXL in more detail:
http://www.moorfields.nhs.uk/sites/defa ... king_3.pdf
redtailross wrote:I waited two years for my second eye test with another doctor
As you waited two years for another eye test I would guess that your eyes didn't change much in that time - a frequent change in prescription is often as indication that keratoconus is a possibility.
However I'm not an expert. Have you had a referral to an ophthalmologist? They would be able to examine your eyes and assess whether or not cross-linking would be beneficial. Also they might refer you to a specialist optician for contact lenses, but if you can see well with your current glasses or contact lenses this might not be necessary.
Do let us know how you get on,
Lia
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