How to Tell if Your Keratoconus Is Progressing (And When to Call Our Lewes Office)

Keratoconus changes the shape of the cornea over time, but progression is not always obvious from day to day. You may simply notice that your vision seems less sharp, your prescription changes more often, or your contact lenses no longer provide the same clarity or comfort.

At Contact Lens Institute of Delaware, we help patients in Lewes monitor keratoconus and find contact lens options designed for irregular corneas. Knowing what changes to watch for can help you seek care before vision becomes more difficult to correct.

Signs Your Keratoconus May Be Changing

Because keratoconus causes the cornea to become thinner and more irregular, changes in corneal shape can affect how clearly light focuses inside the eye. Signs that may warrant another evaluation include:

•          Increasingly blurry or distorted vision

•          More frequent changes in your glasses or contact lens prescription

•          Increased glare, halos, or difficulty seeing at night

•          Double or ghost images, especially in one eye

•          A noticeable decline in vision even with your current correction

•          Contact lenses that suddenly fit differently or become less comfortable

These symptoms do not automatically mean your keratoconus is progressing, but they are good reasons to contact our Lewes office for an evaluation.

The Importance of Corneal Imaging

Symptoms alone cannot tell us whether the cornea has changed. Comparing detailed measurements over time gives us a much clearer picture. We use Pentacam corneal tomography as part of our custom contact lens fitting process. This technology creates detailed measurements of the cornea that can help us evaluate its shape and identify changes that may affect your vision or contact lens fit.

Regular monitoring can be especially important for younger patients because keratoconus may progress more quickly at younger ages. The appropriate follow-up schedule depends on your age, corneal measurements, symptoms, and previous examination findings.

Contact Lenses Can Improve Vision, But Monitoring Still Matters

Specialty contact lenses can provide significantly clearer vision for many people with keratoconus by creating a smoother optical surface. Depending on your eyes, options may include scleral lenses, gas-permeable lenses, hybrid lenses, or other customized designs.

However, improving vision with contact lenses does not necessarily mean the underlying keratoconus has stopped changing. If we see evidence that your cornea is continuing to change, additional evaluation may be appropriate. Corneal cross-linking, for example, is a treatment used to help stabilize progressive keratoconus.

When to Schedule an Eye Exam at Contact Lens Institute of Delaware

Do not wait for your next routine appointment if your vision has noticeably changed, your current lenses no longer seem to work as well, or you are experiencing new distortion, glare, or difficulty seeing at night. An earlier keratoconus evaluation can help us determine whether the change is related to your corneal shape, contact lens fit, prescription, or another eye condition.

Schedule a keratoconus evaluation with Contact Lens Institute of Delaware to explore customized contact lens options designed for your vision and comfort. Visit our office in Lewes, Delaware, or call (302) 569-3937 to book an appointment today.