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Important
General DiscussionKeratoconus is a non-inflammatory eye (ocular) condition characterized by progressive changes of the shape of the cornea. The cornea is the thin-walled, "dome-shaped" transparent region forming the front of the eyeball; it serves as a protective covering and helps to focus or bend (refract) light waves onto the retina at the back of the eye. In those with Keratoconus, slowly progressive thinning of the cornea causes it to protrude forward in a conical shape, leading to blurry vision and other vision problems. Keratoconus often begins at puberty. Although the specific underlying cause of the condition is unknown, investigators indicate that genetic factors may play some role. In addition, in some cases, Keratoconus may occur in association with a variety of other disorders. Supporting OrganizationsCornea Research Foundation of America
Corneal Dystrophy Foundation
Eye Bank Association of America
Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
NIH/National Eye Institute
National Keratoconus Foundation
For a Complete ReportThis is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). For a full-text version of this report, go to www.rarediseases.org and click on Rare Disease Database under "Rare Disease Information".
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