Excessive Eye Rubbing Could Be A Sign Of This Vision Condition

The last time I went to the opticians, I told them that my vision had been worsening a little.

It’s not so much that I can’t see things that are nearby or far away but that I seem to experience a lot of vision blurring without other worrying symptoms like feeling faint or dizzy.

It’s odd because until my mid-twenties, I hadn’t really experienced vision issues but over the past decade, I have noticed that my eyes are really struggling to focus a lot of the time and if I don’t wear my glasses, it’s near impossible for me to even read a book.

Outwith the small text on a book though, everything is still crystal clear. It’s so frustrating. 

Turns out, my cornea is cone-shaped

Following some tests and realising that my right eye simply *cannot* read any part of a standard eye test when the left one is covered, my optician said she wanted to get a closer look at the cornea of my right eye.

Huh?

Following a proper review, she told me that I have developed the degenerative eye disease keratoconus in both eyes but far more pronounced in my right eye and my cornea had morphed into a sort of cone shape. 

I mean, what do you even say to that?

On their website, Specsavers explains: 

Keratoconus often affects both eyes, and the symptoms can differ from person to person. In its early stages, keratoconus symptoms can include:

Mild blurring or vision

Slightly distorted vision, with some parts clear and some parts blurry

Increased sensitivity to light and glare

In a small number of cases, keratoconus continues to progress. Symptoms include:

Very blurry and distorted vision

Eye pain

Increased near‑sightedness or astigmatism

Not being able to wear contact lenses, as they no longer fit properly

Yikes.

My optician did inform me that she thinks I’ve actually had this for decades without being diagnosed as the technology is quite advanced and wasn’t available in my area until very recently. Spooky.

Eye rubbing can both cause and worsen it

One thing my lovely optician did ask is if I often rub my eyes and, yes, I do. I have hayfever during the sunnier months of the year but I also have Dyspraxia so know that my eye rubbing is very heavy-handed.

Prescription Vision London says on their website: “Research shows that chronic eye rubbing stands out as one of the most important risk factors. Your cornea becomes distorted at the time you keep rubbing your eyes, and this can end up causing permanent vision loss.”

So, what are the treatment options for keratoconus?

In early stages, corrective contact lenses are an option. Otherwise, Eye Clinic London advises that other treatments include:

Corneal cross-linking - this slows the progression of keratoconus by using B2 drops in the eyes and activating them with UV lightIntacs -  these are small, crescent-shaped plastic rings that are surgically inserted into the peripheral cornea. Their purpose is to flatten the cone and make the cornea more regular — improving vision and contact lens toleranceCorneal transplant - “when vision can’t be corrected even with the most advanced lenses — or when the cornea becomes dangerously thin, scarred, or structurally unstable — a corneal transplant may be the only remaining option”

Guess I’ll just have to see what the future holds!