Keratoconus - Causes

Keratoconus Reasons

Even though research is undergoing for the past years the reasons behind keratoconus remain unknown. It is considered a genetic disease and there are many factors that can be identified for its existence, and mainly anomalies in the structure and metabolism of different parts of the cornea.

Some time ago it was considered a rare disease, perhaps because of the inability of the existent diagnostic techniques to identify it at an early stage. Today we know that it is not that rare. In Greece 20.000 persons have keratoconus (1 per 2000). .

Keratoconus starts during the teen years and develops quite rapidly, then it slows down and stops around the 35th year of life. /p>

It is believed that genetic reasons, the ebvironment and the endocrinic system play an important role in the forming and development of keratoconous.

Genetics:

Genetics seem to play a very important role in the development of keratoconous as it appears to be correlated with family history. However fewer than 1/10th of patients seem to have a blood relation with someone else with the same disease. In most of the keratoconous cases no other family member has keratoconous.

Environment

Eye Rubbing: A cornea with keratoconous can be destroyed even with a small eye trauma such as by eye rubbing. Contact lenses that do not fit well (and rub against a kornea with keratoconous) have also been proposed (but not verified) as a cause for keratoconous.
Allergies A cornea with keratoconous can be destroyed even with a small eye trauma such as by eye rubbing. Contact lenses that do not fit well (and rub against a kornea with keratoconous) have also been proposed (but not verified) as a cause for keratoconous.
Oxidative Stress: Some studies have shown a link due to an anomaly in the reactive oxygent species in the corneas with keratoconous thus implying oxidant stress as part of the factors that play a role in keratoconous. Corneas with keratoconous lose the ability to correct themselves from normal traumas that would have been corrected automatically by normal corneas. Corneas, like all parts of our body produce free radicals as subproducs of the cell metabolism. Normal corneas have a defence mechanism that reacts with the free radicals so they do not cause problems with the collagen of the tissue. Corneas with keratoconous do not have this ability so these free radicals remain in the tissue and can cause constructructive damage to it.
UVA radiation.

Hormonal:

Another assumption is that the endocrinic system may play a part, as keratoconous arises in the teen years and also develops during pregnancy. This is also under debate and has not been verified.

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