Understanding Corneal Disease: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

The cornea is the clear front surface of your eye. As well as being a barrier that protects your eye from dust, dirt, and other debris, the cornea performs about two-thirds of your eye’s total focusing power. 

There are a range of conditions that can affect the health of your cornea, grouped together medically as corneal disease. These conditions affect the way the cornea, and therefore your eye, functions. 

At Advanced Lasik in Midtown East, New York City, and Duarte, and Long Beach, California, ophthalmologist Randa Garrana, MD, specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of corneal disease. Let’s take a closer look at its causes, symptoms, and treatments. 

Common corneal diseases

Three of the most common corneal disease groups are:

• Corneal ectasia, or conditions that change the shape of the cornea, including keratoconus
• Corneal dystrophy, or genetic disorders that create abnormal deposits in one or more of the corneal layers
• Keratitis, or inflammation of the cornea that may be infectious (caused by bacteria or a virus) or non-infectious (injuries or conditions that dry the cornea)

There are many other conditions included in the corneal disease group, including things like abrasions, inflammations, and infectious conditions. 

Symptoms of corneal disease

Because there are many different types of disease that can affect the corneas, symptoms can vary widely. You may experience one or more of the following: 

• Blurry vision
• Deteriorating vision
• Eye pain, from mild to severe
• The feeling you have something in your eye
• Bloodshot or red eyes
• Sensitivity to light
• Discharge from your eyes
• Watery eyes

Sometimes, corneal diseases have no symptoms, particularly in the early stages. When you are symptomatic, the signs you experience may help to form your diagnosis. 

Treatments used for corneal disease

Once again, the specific condition you have helps dictate the best treatment approach. Dr. Garrana may recommend: 

• Drops, ointments, and other medications
• Corrective eyewear (contacts, glasses) 
• Procedures to reshape the cornea
• A corneal transplant
• Keratoprosthesis, an artificial cornea replacement

At Advanced Lasik, we also offer a progressive treatment to help strengthen weak or misshapen corneas. Called Corneal Cross-Linking, it’s an innovative technique that boosts collagen crosslinks in the cornea as an FDA-approved advanced treatment for keratoconus. 

A one-hour office procedure, corneal crosslinking uses riboflavin and ultraviolet light to build a stronger collagen matrix in the cornea — preventing the cornea from becoming cone-shaped. The process also makes the cornea stronger and helps it retain its position. 

Have questions about corneal disease? We have answers. Schedule a visit at your nearest Advanced Lasik office today: We have one East Coast office in Midtown East, New York City, and two West Coast offices in Duarte and Long Beach, California.