Do I have KC or could it be just HOA?

[daniel91]

Dear community members,

my name is Daniel, 29 yo, from Slovakia. For all my life I had very good vision, even without any correction, however, last year I started seeing halos around lights and glare in the left eye. I also have polyopia in the left eye. Later, I started seeing starbursts around lights in the right eye too, without polyopia (ghost images).

I was diagnosed with an incipient KC at eye clinic at public hospital. Based on corneal topography. As the clinic does not offer vision correction with lenses, neither CXL, I visited two private eye clinics to consult possible correction with lenses and CXL respectively. At both clinics I was examined with topographer and at one with aberrometer too. At both, I was told I do not have KC and at the second, based on the aberrometer examination, I was told it is just an higher order aberration (HOA). The clinic offered me a LASIK procedure to correct the vision.

Now, I am curious. Could it just be an HOA? Without KC? Many HOAs descriptions say that HOAs are mostly caused by KC. I would like to undergo the LASIK, as my night vision is terrible, however, the LASIK, as I understand, is a contraindication with KC.

Strange thing is that I have farsightedness (+1 and +1.5 Dsph), not nearsightedness as it is usual with KC.

Do anyone of you have similar experience? What is your opinion about this? Is there any ophthalmologist/optometrist that could check my topography images?

Many thanks and I wish you all the best, Daniel.

[gsward]

Hi, Daniel.

Welcome to the forum and the world of KC.

I will leave for an optometrist to comment on your scans. It can be difficult to get a positive diagnosis in the early stages of KC. I too have always been farsighted and significantly more than yourself, so if there are more shortsighted people with KC, it's not an exclusive club.

In the longer term as KC progresses the cornea gets thinner hence why we are generally advised to stay away from laser correction. In the UK I suspect in your case you would be monitored regularly (at least 6 monthly. That could be at a specialist hospital or high street optician (if they know what they are dealing with) to check any progression, as that in itself could indicate KC diagnosis. Considering your age and if it is KC, CXL would be the preferred choice. (I'm not saying you should get CXL now, it needs to be properly assessed.)

In the meantime, it is likely that you would get improved vision with RGP lenses, but they need to be fitted well, and again monitored as it is not uncommon to need to change the prescription and/or fit during the year.

Come back to us if you have more questions.

Graham

[daniel91]

Many thanks for your reply, Graham,

yes, I actually want to undergo CXL rather sooner than later, so that's why I would like to know "the sentence". Health case system in Slovakia is quite fine, so I am under regular observation right now, parallelly at both public and private clinic.

Once again, many thanks for you comments.

Daniel