Will i pass KC to my kids?
Posted: Mon 11 Mar 2024 9:26 pm
by amrinder_singh
Hi all,
I have mild keratoconus and can manage with glasses, my concern is will i pass my KC to my kids. Currently in my family no one has KC except me.
Does any fellow members experienced or seen KC beings passed on to their children? I am little scared, can't imagine the guilt i will feel if they have deal with it all their life?
Re: Will i pass KC to my kids?
Posted: Tue 12 Mar 2024 9:32 am
by Anne Klepacz
Hi Amrinder and welcome!
You're in the same position as most of us with KC in not having anyone else in the family with it. Genetic studies are showing that there isn't one gene responsible for KC but that it takes several different ones all coming together. And that only around 1 in 10 of people with KC have other family members with it. Of course, these days, collagen crosslinking can stop KC progressing so 'dealing with KC' is very much less of an issue than it used to be for some people. And as you know from your own experience, some KC stays mild and doesn't affect daily life very much. Also, who knows what improved treatment options will be along in the next few years to transform prospects for people with KC even more?
I hope knowing that there's only a 10% chance of passing KC on is reassuring. Having said that, the medical advice is to mention any history of KC in the family when children go for their regular eye tests, so if there is KC, it can be picked up early and treated early.