Keratoconus is a disease of the eye that is common sometimes. This syndrome can affect many people who can have very serious problem. There are many different backgrounds of the keratoconus such as history, what is keratoconus, causes of the diseases, symptoms, signs and diagnosis, and other treatments. Keratoconus was the first study by German oculist, Burchard Mauchart in a 1748, which he called staphyloma diaphnum. However, physician John Nottingham clearly described keratoconus as the cases of conical cornea and also he described several classical features of the diseases such as polyopia, weakness of the cornea, and difficulty matching corrective lenses to the patients vision. In 1859, a British surgeon named William Bowman to diagnose keratoconus used an ophthalmoscope to see the conical shape of the cornea. According to Wikipedia encyclopedia, Bowman also attempted to restore the vision by pulling on the iris with a fine hook inserted through the cornea and stretching the pupil into a vertical stenopeic slit like that of a cat. Bowman had a good success with that technique, as an example he restorted vision to an 18 year old woman who had previously been unable to count fingers at a distance of 8 inches (20cm). In 1888, the treatment of Keratoconus became one of the first practical applications of the newly invented contact lens, when the French physician Eugene Kalt manufactured a glass scleral shell, which improved vision by compressing the cornea into in more regular shape (Wikipidia 2). From that time, research of keratoconus has improved understanding of the disease and greatly expanded the choice of the treatment options. Keratoconus is an eye condition named after the Greek Terms "kerato" which means cornea, and "conus" meaning cone, which also can be hearing a conical cornea (Wikipedia 1). There are three ecstatic corneal dystrophies such as Keratoconus, Kertoglobus, and Pellucid Marginal Corneal Degeneration. Out of three
Bibliography: Angeles Vision Clinic. "What is Keratoconus and What are the Treatment Options?" March 9, 2006 http://www.avclinic.com/keratoconus.htm Keratoconus Inserts. "What is Keratoconus" April 18, 2006 http://www.keratoconusinserts.com/what.htp Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. "Keratoconus." April 18, 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keratoconus