Keratoconus (KC) is an eye disease in which the central portion of the cornea begins to thin and bulge out. The resulting "cone" shape to the cornea produces a number of unique vision problems including halos, monocular double-vision, severe irregular astigmatism, and sensitivity to light.
Epidemiology
Keratoconus is a relatively rare disease with prevalence estimates ranging from 4 per 100,000 people to 600 per 100,000. Most studies tend to find that prevalence is about equal between males and females. The age of onset can vary from early teens to people in their 60's or older. Although cases in which keratoconus is first diagnosed at an earlier age somewhat tend to ultimately result in more advanced progression, it is not unusual for the disease to progress to a certain point and then stablize. The percentage of people that ultimately need corneal transplants ranges from about 16% to 22%.
