Meet our Keratoconus Contact Lens Specialist

Our contact lens specialist, Dr. Jeffrey Handschumacher, has been practicing optometry in North Carolina since 1999–specializing in primary eye care and contact lenses. He is certified in the treatment and management of ocular disease by the International Association of Boards of Examiners in Optometry, and is a member of the American Optometric Association, the North Carolina State Optometric Society, and the American Academy of Orthokeratology and Myopia Control (AAOMC).

How Keratoconus Can Affect Your Vision From Your Raleigh Eye Doctor

Anything that interferes with the eye’s ability to refract light correctly can result in a refractive disorder, elongated or foreshortened eyeballs (myopia/astigmatism) to isolated spots of deformation in the cornea (astigmatism). In keratoconus, the tissues of the cornea are too thin and weak to support a normal spherical curvature. This causes the cornea to bulge outward in more of a cone shape, playing havoc with refraction. Keratoconus has usually established itself by your early 20s and can grow progressively worse over many years. Symptoms include distorted vision (including “halos” around bright lights), abnormal light sensitivity and double vision. Some sufferers may also experience brief periods of corneal swelling that temporarily make vision much worse.

It’s not certain why some individuals struggle with the thin corneal tissue that produces keratoconus. Oxidative damage to the corneas may play a role, along with genetics and the hormonal roller coaster that occurs at puberty. Allergies or other irritants that cause constant eye rubbing may even contribute to keratoconus.

Keratoconus Treatment Options

Many people find that corrective lenses can compensate for their corneal issues to restore and maintain clear vision. But not all corrective lenses are created equal when it comes to keratoconus treatment. Since soft contact lenses largely conform to the existing corneal contours, they can’t provide enough compensation once the cornea develops a pronounced bulge. Fortunately, your Raleigh optometrist can evaluate the progress of your condition and determine what kind of specialized lenses can do exactly that. Our options include:

  • RGP (rigid gas permeable) lenses – Rigid gas permeable lenses are robust enough to maintain whatever curvature we create for them. This allows them to provide steady, constant refractive correction.
  • Hybrid lenses – If you’re used to soft contacts but you need the extra correction possible with RGP lenses, our hybrid contacts can provide the best of both worlds. These lenses combine a rigid center with a soft rim.
  • Scleral lenses – Scleral lenses can be highly effective for keratoconus treatment. Since these RGP lenses extend out past the cornea to the sclera (the white of the eye), they can vault completely over the misshapen cornea to take over the role of refractive correction.

Schedule the Eye Care You Need to Cope With Keratoconus

Our optometrist can tell you what kind of eye care best suits your keratoconus. Call (919) 981-4444 for an appointment so we can help you reclaim your clarity of vision!