Vision Therapy in Centennial

Keratoconus and Contact Lenses: Finding the Perfect Fit

(303) 771-4221

Understanding Keratoconus: A Vision Disorder

Your cornea, the clear, round, front surface of your eye, is the first ocular tissue that light passes through on its way to the retina. Keratoconus causes the cornea to thin, steepen, and form an irregular cone-shape. This transformation causes light to focus on the retina incorrectly, which leads to distorted vision.

woman putting in contact


What Are the Symptoms of Keratoconus?

There are two primary ways keratoconus affects your vision, and it shows up as:

  • Irregular Astigmatism: The cornea, which typically has a smooth spherical shape, undergoes a transformation into a cone-like structure. This alteration results in a wavy and uneven corneal surface, known as irregular astigmatism.
  • Nearsightedness: As the front part of your eye expands, your vision becomes increasingly nearsighted. This means that you can only see objects clearly when they are up close (however in keratoconus, even objects at near may still appear distorted). Anything at a distance appears blurry.
  • Variable or quickly changing vision. The inability to achieve clear vision in glasses or soft contacts when it had been possible in the recent past.

Recognizing the signs of keratoconus is essential, as early detection can lead to more effective treatment. Keep an eye out for the following symptoms:

  • Double or triple vision when using just one eye
  • Blurriness of objects both near and far
  • Perception of bright lights with halos around them
  • Presence of light streaks
  • The presence of ghost images
  • Persistent blurry vision that affects your ability to drive safely

adding contact drops

Causes and Risk Factors: Can it Damage Your Vision?

The precise cause of keratoconus remains unknown. Researchers believe that some individuals may have a genetic predisposition to the condition.

However, several factors have been associated with the development of keratoconus:

Family History: If a family member has been diagnosed with keratoconus, there is an increased likelihood of inheriting the condition. If you have keratoconus, it is advisable to have your children's eyes examined for early signs, by the age of 10 at the latest. Early detection of keratoconus is crucial for successful management and prevention of severe disease.

Certain Medical Conditions: Research has indicated a correlation between keratoconus and systemic conditions such as Down syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta, retinitis pigmentosa, sleep apnea, Lebers congenital amaurosis, Marfan’s, and other connective tissue disorders.Inflammation: Inflammatory conditions like allergies, asthma, or atopic eye disease have the potential to weaken the corneal tissue over time.

Eye Rubbing: Vigorous and persistent eye rubbing can lead to corneal damage. Excessive eye rubbing can accelerate its progression for individuals already diagnosed with keratoconus.


Scleral Lenses for Keratoconus: The Game-Changer

Keratoconus presents a unique challenge when it comes to vision correction. Traditional gas permeable? contact lenses often prove ineffective as they cannot conform to the irregular corneal shape. This is where scleral lenses step in as an innovative solution.

Here are four compelling reasons to consider scleral lenses for keratoconus:

  • Enhanced Comfort

    Scleral lenses are larger in diameter compared to traditional rigid gas permeable contact lenses, spreading their weight across a broader, less sensitive area, ensuring comfort during extended wear.

  • Improved Vision

    Unlike glasses, which often offer limited visual improvement for keratoconus patients, scleral lenses can significantly enhance vision clarity and stability.

  • Constant Moisture

    Scleral lenses provide a continuous reservoir of moisture between the lens and the eye's surface, ensuring a soothing and moisture-rich environment for the eyes.

  • No More Eye Rubbing

    The design of scleral lenses minimizes the need for eye rubbing by reducing inciting factors of ocular surface and lid inflammation due to allergy response, reducing the risk of further corneal damage and discomfort.

Patient Reviews
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714 Reviews
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- Dec. 18, 2024
Dr. Barkey is wonderful. Knowledgeable an kind. My wife and I both go there and my father did as wel... l before he passed. The best place to go for eyecare in Colorado.
- Dec. 12, 2024
The entire office is professional, courteous, prompt and polite.
- Dec. 10, 2024
Great experience with Dr. Kaitlyn Barkey was excellent and answered my concerns and made recommendat... ions for continued eye health approaches.
- Dec. 09, 2024
Dr. Katlyn is awesome! She is great at answering my questions and is easy to talk to. The staff is... also great. There's no waiting, they are efficient and I feel taken care of there.
- Dec. 07, 2024
I was able to easily schedule first appointment on line on a day that was not too far out, office st... aff friendly, appointment ran very efficiently, Dr Barkey was so personable and easy to talk with, she answered my questions and provided helpful information. Highly recommend EyeCare Consultants!!
- Nov. 20, 2024
Great staff and amazing service.
- Nov. 06, 2024
Dr Vasi is the best
- Sep. 25, 2024
Excellent service!
- Sep. 11, 2024
My wife went to this office on 9/10 due to a minor eye injury and Dr. Barkey and her staff did a won... derful job not only reassuring and calming my wife, but with the actual handling of the injury. Everyone here seems compassionate and competent. My wife told me she will be coming here from here on out for her eye exams.
- Sep. 04, 2024
They made it very easy to schedule and adjust my appointment. All of the staff were very friendly an... d efficient.
- Aug. 15, 2024
Katlyn Barkey was wonderful! She took the time to explain everything. I left feeling that my eye-h... ealth was in good hands. Thank you Dr. Barkey
- Aug. 06, 2024
Friendly staff and was seen right away.
- Aug. 01, 2024
Awesome staff. Excellent customer service and a feeling of welcome. This was our first visit and I... am grateful I picked them!
- Jul. 27, 2024
Five star service once again. No problem with recommending this facility.
- Jul. 21, 2024
Everyone one the staff there is extremely friendly, kind and helpful except the woman who helps you ... get your glasses. She did not want to help me because my insurance didn't cover my glasses and she would have had to wait til I got paid on the first. So she went into her office and got on the phone. Did not offer to help me pick any out to try on or anything. Everything could have been taken care of and then held til the first when I got paid and I like nice glasses like MK, those were my last pair that broke a year ago so she lost out on a big sale.
- Jun. 28, 2024
Always a great experience. Helpful and friendly staff. Very clean office.
- Jun. 23, 2024
The doctor provided me with information I needed to understand my vision issues
- Jun. 17, 2024
Returning patient… have always received great care from this practice!
- Jun. 14, 2024
Been coming here 15+ years and they have been excellent every time.
- Jun. 07, 2024
I've been going to Eye Care Consultants for over 25 yrs seeing Dr Alevras. Everyone is efficient, k... nowledgeable and friendly. I could not come up with one negative comment after all these years...it's a gem!

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Scleral Lenses in Centennial

Our optometry practice in Centennial

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Hours
  • Monday 8:00 am - 12:30 pm
    1:30 pm - 5:00 pm
  • Tuesday 8:00 am - 12:30 pm
    1:30 pm - 5:30 pm
  • Wednesday 8:00 am - 12:30 pm
    1:30 pm - 5:00 pm
  • Thursday 8:00 am - 12:30 pm
    1:30 pm - 5:30 pm
  • Friday 8:00 am - 12:30 pm
    1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
  • Saturday Closed
  • Sunday Closed
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Experience Clarity with Scleral Lenses from EyeCare Consultants

Scleral lenses have the potential to provide life-changing improvement in vision clarity and comfort for those battling keratoconus.If you or a loved one has keratoconus and would like to explore the benefits of scleral lenses, schedule a consultation with EyeCare Consultants today. Your journey to clear vision begins here.[b]

(303) 771-4221