Living with keratoconus

Keratoconus happens when the cornea, the clear 'window' at the front of the eye, thins and becomes distorted in shape. Typically, corneas are shaped like a dome, but keratoconus causes the cornea to become cone-shaped, affecting vision.

Wearing prescription glasses or contact lenses can correct your eyesight, so most people’s day-to-day life isn’t impacted by keratoconus.

Living independently with keratoconus

Tommy shares his experience of living with keratoconus.

If you have keratoconus, you'll need regular eye tests to monitor any changes to your vision and to ensure you get the right keratoconus treatment at the right time.

• Your optician will be able to detect changes to your prescription and ensure your glasses or contact lenses are up to date.
• Talk to your optician if you find you have difficulties with contact lenses. The condition can increase the chance of having dry eyes, as can wearing contact lenses for long periods of time. Your optician may give you eye drops and alternatives, like more comfortable lens types, to help with any discomfort.
• Always see your optician if you notice any changes to your sight or have any concerns, especially if you experience sudden changes to your vision.

For many people living with keratoconus, the condition is not classed as a disability. That's because your vision is usually corrected by treatments such as prescription glasses or contact lenses. There are also effective treatments for advanced keratoconus, such as corneal implants, corneal collagen cross-linking, and corneal transplants, that are available through the NHS.

However, if keratoconus affects your sight so much that you are eligible to register as vision impaired, and it affects daily life, get in touch with us to find out how we can best support you.

At Guide Dogs, we have a wide range of services, both with and without guide dogs, and a team of experts who can work with you to understand your needs and agree on a plan that’s right for you.

The ways we could help you:

• Habilitation or rehabilitation of important life skills
• Our guide dog service
• Our Vision Rehabilitation Specialists can make recommendations best suited to you and your needs
• Tips and advice to help you make the most of your remaining vision
• Resources and support on how technology can improve your independence

Please note: Whilst Guide Dogs may be able to suggest various third-party websites which may be able to assist you, those are not endorsed by Guide Dogs. Guide Dogs have no control over those third parties and cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of information and support they can provide or the suitability and quality of any products or services they provide.