Astigmatism – a sign of keratoconus?

High or increasing astigmatism can be caused by keratoconus, a weakness of the cornea that can lead to poor vision.

Exclude keratoconus and explore treatment options for astigmatism with a mini-assessment.

BOOK

Book your astigmatism – keratoconus screening; cost from £150

SCAN

Attend for a 5-minute corneal topography scan with the imaging team

RESULTS

Receive a report on your astigmatism, treatment options, or possible keratoconus

What is astigmatism? Causes and types.

Astigmatism is a common refractive error of the eye, often present with short-sightedness or long-sightedness.
It causes blurred vision; in addition it may cause distortion, haloes, glare, fatigue and headaches.
Astigmatism is caused when sectors of the cornea (corneal astigmatism) or the lens (lenticular astigmatism) of the eye provide more refractive power than others.
High astigmatism may be normal.
If astigmatism is high or increasing, is it vital to have a corneal topography scan, a non-contact scan of the cornea, to exclude irregular astigmatism and keratoconus.
Irregular astigmatism is a type of astigmatism that is not corrected easily with glasses or contact lens.

What is keratoconus? Is keratoconus serious?

Keratoconus is an abnormality in the shape of the cornea, associated with thinning of the cornea.
The cornea, normally shaped like a sphere (football), gradually becomes more cone shaped (rugby ball) causing irregular astigmatism.
Keratoconus causes blurred vision, distorted vision, glare, ghosted images, and vision that does not improve easily with glasses and contact lenses.
Early diagnosis allows earlier treatment and more successful visual restoration.
Although keratoconus usually only progresses slowly, it can cause serious loss of vision over years if not detected and treated early.
Keratoconus can only be detected at early stages with a corneal topography scan, a scan that maps the 3-dimensional shape of the cornea.

I found Mr Aris Konstantopoulos very approachable and explaining in detail the correct procedure for me. On his advice I had Toric multifocal implants. As a result my vision is amazing, now having long and short vision with no aid of glasses. I would like to thank him and his team for an excellent result.

The care and treatment I received from Mr Konstantopoulos and his team was exceptional. I was very pleased with the service from beginning to end and the outcome of the surgery was better than I could have imagined.

I was apprehensive and a little scared of the pending invasive eye surgery I required but Mr Konstantopoulos inspired my confidence and the operation was over in a very short time and the final result is amazing giving me back my teenage eyesight.

Mr Konstantopoulos is a superb caring surgeon.

First class.

Mr Aris Konstantopoulos was extremely considerate and very informative before during and after; would recommend him to anyone with eye issues, he has made me see clearly again.

Excellent care…thank you.

A first class service from Aris (and his team at the Spire) from first consultation through procedures and final consultation a courteous approach with advice along the way. Many thanks. Your expertise has made such a difference.

Excellent treatment; as awake for the procedure I was made to feel at ease and every step of the procedure was explained to me by Aris step by step to me to keep me that way. The outcome is absolutely incredible !!

From the very first consultation with Mr Aris Konstantopoulos, I felt in very safe hands. Everything was explained in depth and my anxieties reassured. I have recommended Mr Konstantopoulos to my friends – I couldn’t fault the care I received in any way.

Cataract surgery very successful and pain free. Treatment explained in great detail prior to the procedure. Definitely pleased with the results as I no longer need glasses.

Excellent consultant surgeon giving an excellent outcome.

I cannot speak highly enough of the treatment I received from Mr Konstantopoulos. In his care, alongside his excellent skill, he has a calm, friendly manner. Combined, it ensured I was completely without anxiety, throughout my surgery for two cataracts. My recovery on both occasions was almost instant. Truly I could not believe how bright, clear everything was around me the very next day. I experienced no pain, and apart from a little redness for a couple of days, no discomfort that I may have been expecting after reading about post surgery.

Treatment for astigmatism

The easiest way to correct astigmatism and improve your vision is with glasses and contact lenses.
Surgery can provide a more permanent improvement to your vision; the type of surgery will depend largely on the cause of the astigmatism.
Lens replacement or cataract surgery can successfully treat lenticular astigmatism, a type of astigmatism that usually develops with cataract as we get older.
Corneal astigmatism can normally be treated with laser eye surgery, such as LASIK or ReLEx SMILE, as these procedures reshape the cornea.
If the astigmatism is irregular and caused by keratoconus, laser eye surgery can also improve the vision; however, a corneal stabilising procedure called collagen cross-linking may be required in addition to the laser treatment.

Exclude keratoconus and explore treatment options for your astigmatism.

Treatment for keratoconus

Early diagnosis of keratoconus with a corneal topography scan is key to maintaining good vision.
The first step is to prevent further deterioration of the condition and the astigmatism with collagen cross-linking, a procedure that increases the strength of the cornea.
In early cases of keratoconus, glasses and contact lenses by specialist optometrists can improve the vision.
Laser eye surgery, specifically surface ablation treatment, can play an important role in improving the vision in keratoconus; laser reshapes the cornea producing a more regular shape, thus improving the quality of vision.
The laser procedure can be combined with collagen cross-linking or performed at a later date.
If not detected early or left to progress to more advanced stages, corneal ring segment implantation or corneal transplantation may be required to restore the vision.

Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon
Cataract, Lens replacement and Laser Eye Surgery

Aris is a consultant eye surgeon at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust. He runs private clinics at the Wessex Nuffield Health hospital (Chandlers Ford), Southampton Spire Healthcare hospital and Boots Opticians (Lymington, New Forest).

Why have surgery with Aris?

Aris is an experienced UK trained consultant eye surgeon, having performed thousands of operations.

He provides personalised care with a broad range of vision correction procedures, including cataract surgery, lens replacement and laser eye surgery, including LASIK and PRESBYOND blended vision. This allows him to recommend the treatment most appropriate to your eyes and lifestyle needs.

Aris provides his care and surgery within the safety, friendly atmosphere, comfort of private rooms and guaranteed aftercare of traditional private hospitals – the Nuffield Health and Spire Healthcare hospitals.