The Evolution of Treating Patients With Irregular Corneas

Sixty years before Adolf Fick and Edouard Kalt developed the first actual contact lenses in 1887, Sir John Herschel postulated that a primitive contact lens could treat irregular corneas if it was ground to the surface shape of the cornea.

“Should any very bad cases of irregular cornea be found, it is worthy of consideration whether at least a temporary distinct vision could not be procured by applying in contact with the surface of the eye some transparent animal jelly contained in a spherical capsule of glass, or whether an actual mold of the cornea might not be taken and impressed on some transparent medium,” he wrote in an 1827 publication of Journal Light.

Sir John Herschel got the idea for treating patients with irregular corneas right, but the execution evolved significantly in the following two centuries, much to patients’ delight. Now instead of spherical glass with animal jelly or even rigid lenses, soft contact lenses are often available for patients with certain irregular corneal conditions.

Some mystery still surrounds irregular corneas, though, mainly how they develop. It’s known that disease (such as keratoconus) and injury (including mistakes during LASIK surgery) cause irregular corneas, but certain irregular corneal conditions don’t have a known cause. There is good news: “Almost any condition that causes an irregular corneal surface in the absence of any active infectious process can be helped optically and in many instances therapeutically by the application of some type of contact lens,” writes Barry Weiner, O.D.

Considering that corneas account for two-thirds of the refractive power of the eye, patients might be understandably nervous when diagnosed with an irregular cornea. Fortunately, modern medicine can provide comfortable, effective treatments, but it all starts with a proper fit.

On Sunday, April 6 at the Foxwoods Resort and Casino, contact lens expert Joe Forte will help opticians fit patients who have irregular corneas with contact lenses at OpticalCEUs continuing education seminar for opticians. He will also discuss different causes of irregular corneas and the type of contact lens best suited for each condition. At the conference, you’ll learn:

• About corneal topography for each type of irregularity,
• How to fit the latest soft and rigid contact lens designs for irregular corneas, and
• Troubleshooting techniques for contact lenses fit to irregular cornea.

Want the best value for ABO/NCLE credits? Sign up to here Joe and other great speakers today!