[Keratoconus, the most common corneal dystrophy. Can keratoplasty be avoided?]

Keratoconus is the most common form of corneal dystrophy. It consists of a non inflammatory progressive thinning process that leads to conical ectasia of the cornea, causing high myopia and astigmatism. In more advanced cases, opacities can be seen at the apex of the cone. Traditional conservative management of keratoconus begins with spectacle correction and contact lenses. Surgery is recommended when a stable contact lens fit fails to provide adequate vision. Keratoplasty was long the only surgical treatment, but recent years have seen the introduction of new surgical options:--Collagen cross-linking stiffens the cornea and can halt disease progression;--Intrastromal corneal rings can reduce astigmatism and improve visual acuity;--Intraocular lenses are valuable additional options for the correction of refractive errors. Currently, keratoplasty is mainly restricted to patients with opacities of the central cornea.