Keratoconus: catching it early and stopping it getting worse
Keratoconus is a thinning of the cornea that lets it bulge into a cone. It usually starts in the teens or twenties, and shows up as glasses power, especially cylinder, that keeps changing. Caught early, cross-linking can stop it progressing. It is also the most common reason people are turned down for LASIK.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Ananyabrata Das, MBBS, DOUpdated 24 October 2026
Signs to watch for
- Glasses power, especially cylinder (astigmatism), changing every few months
- Blurred or distorted vision that new glasses don't fully fix
- Glare, halos and streaks around lights at night
- Frequent eye rubbing, allergic eyes, or a family member with keratoconus
How it is diagnosed
A normal eye test can miss early keratoconus. Corneal topography and tomography map the front and back surface of the cornea and its thickness, and show the cone before you notice symptoms. Repeat scans every few months show whether it is progressing.
Cross-linking (C3R) to stop progression
Corneal collagen cross-linking uses riboflavin (vitamin B2) drops and a controlled dose of ultraviolet light to stiffen the cornea's collagen fibres. It does not reverse the cone, but in most eyes it stops it getting worse. It is a day-care procedure under numbing drops; the eye is sore for a few days and a bandage contact lens is used while the surface heals.
Getting clear vision
- Glasses in early stages
- Special contact lenses (rigid gas-permeable, scleral or hybrid) that vault over the irregular cornea and give much sharper vision
- Toric ICL in selected, stable eyes
- Corneal transplant only in advanced cases. See cornea care
Laser vision correction that thins the cornea (LASIK, SMILE) is generally not done on keratoconic eyes.
Book an examination with Dr. Das at Spectra Eye Hospital, Chinar Park (open daily, 9 am – 8 pm): call +91 98308 73460 or book online.
Questions
Can keratoconus be cured?
It can't be reversed, but cross-linking usually stops it progressing, and lenses restore good vision for most people.
Can I have LASIK if I have keratoconus?
Usually not, because LASIK thins the cornea further. An ICL may be possible in stable eyes.
At what age does keratoconus stop progressing?
It often slows in the thirties or forties, but can progress at any age, which is why scans are repeated.