Keratoconus

Content provided by National Organization for Rare Disorders

Important

It is possible that the main title of the report Keratoconus is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.

Synonyms

• Conical Cornea
• KC

Disorder Subdivisions

• None

General Discussion

Keratoconus is a non-inflammatory eye (ocular) condition characterized by progressive changes of the shape of the cornea. The cornea is the thin-walled, "dome-shaped" transparent region forming the front of the eyeball; it serves as a protective covering and helps to focus or bend (refract) light waves onto the retina at the back of the eye. In those with Keratoconus, slowly progressive thinning of the cornea causes it to protrude forward in a conical shape, leading to blurry vision and other vision problems. Keratoconus often begins at puberty. Although the specific underlying cause of the condition is unknown, investigators indicate that genetic factors may play some role. In addition, in some cases, Keratoconus may occur in association with a variety of other disorders.

.

Resources

National Association for Visually Handicapped

22 West 21st Street

New York, NY 10010

USA

Tel: 2128893141

Fax: 2127272931

Email: staff@navh.org

Internet: http://www.navh.org



Eye Bank Association of America

1015 18th Street, NW

Suite 1010

Washington, DC 20036

Tel: (202)775-4999

Fax: (202)429-6036

Email: info@restoresite.org

Internet: http://www.restoresight.org



NIH/National Eye Institute

Building 31 Rm 6A32

31 Center Dr MSC 2510

Bethesda, MD 20892-2510

United States

Tel: 3014965248

Fax: 3014021065

Email: 2020@nei.nih.gov

Internet: http://www.nei.nih.gov/



National Keratoconus Foundation

8733 Beverly Blvd

Suite 201

Los Angeles, CA 90048

Tel: (310)423-6455

Fax: (310)423-0163

Tel: (800)521-2524

Email: info@nkcf.org

Internet: http://www.nkcf.org



National Keratoconus Assistance Foundation

203 Argonna Ave

Suite B4444

Long Beach, CA 90803

USA

Email: info@nkcaf.com

Internet: http://www.nkcaf.org

For a Complete Report

This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html

The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.

It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report.

This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.

For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email orphan@rarediseases.org

Last Updated:   9/24/2002

Copyright   1988, 1989, 2001, 2002 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.

E-mail This | Print This

Last updated:	September 24, 2002