People younger than 40 who experience sudden loss of vision and worsening of their astigmatism could have keratoconus, an eye disease that affects the structure of the cornea, and they should seek medical treatment as soon as possible, a physician said yesterday.
An adolescent student surnamed Wu (吳) said that he did not have nearsightedness nor astigmatism before, but that suddenly changed when he turned 10.
When Wu was in fourth grade, his vision started to get blurry, and he was found to have severe astigmatism of 4 diopters, he said.
The following year, his visual acuity rapidly degraded from a normal rating of 20/20 to 20/50, and he was diagnosed with keratoconus.
A few years later, when entering junior high school, Wu’s astigmatism significantly worsened — to 9 diopters in his left eye and 10 in his right eye — and his vision also worsened.
It was then that he was referred to Shinkong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital for a corneal collagen crosslinking surgery.
Shinkong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital ophthalmologist Cheng Sheng-fu (鄭聖甫) said that keratoconus is an uncommon corneal disorder, in which the eye’s cornea is unable to hold its round shape, and gradually thins out and bulges like a cone, resulting in blurry or distorted vision.
The cause is unknown, as some cases appear to be genetic, and some seem to be associated with allergies, eczema, excessive eye rubbing or having received surgery for myopia correction, Cheng said.
An estimated several thousand people have keratoconus in Taiwan, and the onset of the condition typically occurs between the ages of 10 and 40, he said, adding that people who develop it early tend to have a more severe form of keratoconus.
Doctors originally recommended that Wu get cornea transplant surgery, but at Shinkong Wu Ho-Su he was able to receive corneal collagen crosslinking surgery, which is a minimally invasive procedure that uses vitamin B eye drops and ultraviolet light to cause a chemical reaction that leads to the formation of bonds among collagen fibers in the cornea to strengthen it, he said.
After obtaining a permit to import the medicine and equipment for the procedure, the hospital began the surgery in 2021.
Wu was the second case in Taiwan to undergo the treatment, Cheng said, adding that so far more than 100 people have received the surgery at the hospital.
People younger than 40 who experience sudden loss of vision, worsening of astigmatism, and increased sensitivity to bright lights and glare, which cannot be solved by getting glasses, should seek an examination to check if their symptoms are a result of keratoconus, and get treatment as early as possible, he said.
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