Ocular surface and corneal diseases:
Keratoconus, Iritis and Pterygium

Ocular surface and corneal diseases, such as keratoconus, iritis and pterygium, all affect our eyes in different ways. Keratoconus would affect the refractive power and accelerate the worsening condition of astigmatism. The corneal collagen cross-linking treats the condition by strengthening the cornea as the corneal collagen fibers cross-link. Iritis則是葡萄膜的前半部受病毒或細菌感染，可能會引起examination before cataract surgery、青光眼等併發症。而Pterygium is a benign conjunctival lesion, a triangular wing-shaped foreign body that covers the white of the eye and extends to the cornea. When the pterygium gradually grows toward the pupil, it may become inflamed and cause the white of the eye to become red and swollen.If the above situation occurs, you should contact our centre as soon as possible to arrange diagnosis and treatment.

Keratoconus

Keratoconus , also known as cone cornea, occurs when the center of the cornea becomes thinner and is continuously pushed outward by the pressure within the eyeball, changing the original curvature of the cornea and causing it to bulge outward, forming a cone-shaped cornea. Keratoconus can affect the refractive power and accelerate the progression of astigmatism. The cause of Keratoconus is unknown, but it may be related to frequent eye rubbing, allergic diseases, and genetic inheritance. Patients usually develop the disease in adolescence or in their twenties. Since the early symptoms of corneal conus are not much different from ordinary astigmatism and myopia, patients may not find the problem and seek advice from an ophthalmologist, so it is difficult to diagnose. However, as the condition worsens, the vision may suddenly deteriorate. Even after treatment, corneal scarring may permanently affect vision.

Symptoms of Keratoconus

Bulging outward of cornea

Worsening in a greater and faster manner in myopia or astigmatism

Decreased visual function

Treatments of Keratoconus

Hard contact lens

Hard contact lenses exert greater pressure on the top, so they can press the cornea to deform. However, they are less comfortable and may be displaced on the surface of the eyes.

Corneal collagen cross-linking

Corneal collagen cross-linking surgery (also called corneal cross-linking surgery) is to apply riboflavin (a type of vitamin B2) eye solution to the patient's eyes, and then illuminate the eyes with ultraviolet light for 45 minutes to tighten the collagen in the corneal fibers, strengthening the cornea and making it stronger and more stable. This corneal cross-linking surgery reduces the chance of corneal ectasia, deformation and degree rebound.

Precautions after corneal collagen cross-linking surgery

No eye make-up
Avoid shampoo or soap getting into your eyes
Avoid perfume or hair spray getting into your eyes
Retrain from driving
No swimming or steam sauna
No contact sports
No alcohol and smoking
Wear sunglasses when you are outdoor to prevent irritation of ultraviolet light
Avoid going to air-polluted area
Follow the doctor's instructions for eye drops and regular follow-up

Implantation of Intra-Corneal Ring

Intra-Corneal Ring are two crescent-shaped pieces of a plastic that are implanted into the cornea stroma after a tiny incision is made in the cornea. Such procedure is to support the thin and weak cornea and flatten the central curvature of the cornea, which reduces irregular astigmatism and improves visual function. If postoperative vision improvement is not satisfactory, the Intra-Corneal Ring can be replaced or removed.

Iritis

The iris is the muscle tissue located between the cornea and the lens. It is responsible for controlling the size of the pupil and is also the front half of the uvea. Therefore, iritis is a viral or bacterial infection of the front half of the uvea. When the body's immune system has a problem and attacks iris cells, it can also cause inflammation and the whites of the eyes will appear red. If not treated in time, it may cause complications such as cataracts and glaucoma. Patients need oral steroids or anti-inflammatory eye drops to eliminate redness and swelling and relieve eye pain.ConjunctivitisPeople often confuse iritis and conjunctivitis. Iritis refers to inflammation of the eyeball, while conjunctivitis refers to inflammation of the white part of the eye. The places where the inflammation occurs are not the same. Read on to learn more about conjunctivitis causes, symptoms, check up and how to treat it.

Symptoms of Iritis

Blurry vision

Sensitivity to light
(photophobia)

Eye pain

Red and itchy eyes

Eye floaters

Watery eyes

Steroid drugs

Treatments of Iritis

Mild cases

Patients can use steroid eye drops or ointment to control the condition

Severe cases

Patients need direct injection of medication into the eye to control inflammation. Some patients even have to take steroids to cure the condition fully.

Caution

Long-term application of steroids may increase the risk of cataracts and elevated intraocular pressure, so such medications must be prescribed by and under the supervision of an ophthalmologist and should not be purchased on your own.

Pterygium is a benign conjunctival lesion, a triangular wing-shaped foreign body that covers the white of the eye and extends to the cornea. When the pterygium gradually grows toward the pupil, it may become inflamed and cause the white of the eye to become red and swollen.

Pterygium is a benign wedge-shaped fibrovascular growth of the conjunctiva that can enlarge and extend onto the cornea. As the pterygium grows into the pupil, it may become inflamed and cause redness and swelling in the white of the eye. The exact cause of the disease is uncertain. However, prolonged exposure to sunlight or UV light, and irritants like sand and wind will increase the risk of vascular tissue proliferation and increase the chance of pterygium enlargement.