does exposure to sunlight help progression of KC?

[eman samir]

hi every body...i have heard that exposure to sunlight may help the progression of KC...but i can't believe that..so. have any of you heard that before?????????

[Sajeev]

Its a theory (is the short answer) the long answer from what i have read would be too long to repeat it here and give it any justice.

Also there is the combination of "tittle tattle" and what I've heard from professionals say from their own experience and also what they guess at. Also there are the vague assumptions/coincidences from reading studies on other areas which some-what tally.

However I think there is possibly at least two component's at play personally for progression to happen (saying that before I had KC I was flying off frequently to various very sunny destinations every year for holidays taking up all my leave to do it, which made them quite long holidays)... although I can take a good guess at what the other factor which brought on KC... but it would be really neither here or there ...only if its looked at scientifically away from the web, multiply... and research is going on by those who know how to do it and what needs to be looked at through a hypothesis they are working on.

In time Keratoconus patient will know why they have Keratoconus... and what happened to them... its something I really wanted to know when I was diagnosed, and to this day...

Good question Eman!

[Andrew MacLean]

The question of sunlight and KC is as vexed as the other questions about contributory factors in the development of KC.

There can be no inevitable link, I live in Scotland!

There is a known link between sunlight and Macular disease, and between sunlight and cataracts, but people in the dark north get both of these disorders, too.

All the best

Andrew

[GarethB]

I have been told that a thinner cornea offers less UV protection than a normal one, so I can see where the theory comes from considering we kno UV light to be damaging to the skin.

My contact lenses are UV protecting, but when you look at the manufacturing material information they do point out they are not a substitute for a good pair of UV protecting sunglasses.

Many of us are light sensitive so wear sunglasses most of the time so if UV light does agrevate KC, then many of us are already protecting ourselves.

[Sajeev]

Here is a link you may wish to read Eman

(link removed at site owner's request by Moderator LonghoC 06/06/14)

Best wishes