I've been told that my cornea is changing shape from a spherical shape to more of a conical shape. What does this mean for my vision? I am quite concerned, and could not get an appointment to see a specialist until four months from now.

Cheryl

The description of your cornea changing into a more conical shape sounds like a condition called keratoconus, in which the cornea changes shape because of thinning and protrusion. This condition begins after puberty and slowly progresses over 10 to 20 years. This condition can lead to mild, moderate or, in some cases, severe vision loss.

The diagnosis of keratoconus is made by examining the cornea under magnification in an ophthalmologist's office. A corneal topography machine is also often used to make a surface map of the cornea, which can aid in the diagnosis.

There is no known way to prevent keratoconus. Also, there are no medications or therapies that can reverse the course of this condition. However, a rigid contact lens can often improve vision in people with mild visual loss from keratoconus. The rigid lens flattens the cone-shaped cornea, allowing a sharper image to pass through the eye to the retina.

People with severe keratoconus can develop corneal scarring and/or contact lens intolerance. In this situation, a corneal transplant procedure may be necessary to remove the damaged cornea and replace it with a new, healthy cornea. This procedure has a high success rate. With this background information on keratoconus, you should be able to discuss your eye health with your ophthalmologist.