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Is this Keratoconus or Astigmatism?

Okay, so I am just wondering if my symptoms are being caused by Keratoconus or Astigmatism. I know you can’t really diagnose KC on here but thought I’d ask.

So for the past month or so I’ve noticed many vision changes that I don’t remember having or at least never noticed. For one, the main one I’ve noticed is that white backgrounds really mess with my eyes in the sense that I always see streaks from the light source usually coming from the bottom of the TV or phone as well. I put it down to Astigmatism, but the only thing that has me worried about it possibly being KC is the fact that I have other symptoms.

The other symptoms I have are streaking and starbursts around headlights and streetlights and they are more noticeable during the night time but I can even see the streaks in the daytime from headlights when I blink.
The concerning part is that I can see the starbursts and streaking very much even when I wear my prescription glasses.

The last time I had my eye exam I was told I have nearsightedness with -1.50 in my right eye and -1.25 in my left.

The streaking of lights is most noticeable when I blink and can sometimes be annoying.

Finally, the most worrying part is that I heard KC can result from rubbing your eyes and that is something I never knew about. I’m 22 years old and can surely say I tend to rub my eyes quite a bit and sometimes do it now because sometimes it feels like I have a hair or something stuck in my eye, sometimes it alternates which eye though. It’s a weird sensation.

Anyways with all the symptoms I’m experiencing such as starbursts becoming more obtrusive even when I wear my prescription glasses. Streaking of lights seeming to be longer then before, and seeing trails from white backgrounds or what I like to call light beams extending from the light source, would all these things be indicative of Keratoconus or Astigmatism and what are the most noticeable signs?

One final comment is that I’ve heard ghosting can be a sign of it but I don’t I noticed ghosting of text at all even without my glasses and without my glasses I can see about 3-4 feet way really good and with correction I can see close to 20/20.
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177275 tn?1511755244
Your glasses RX does not have a correction for astigmatism. You need to see an Eye MD ophthalmologist. You may need some additional testing including cornea topography, cornea OCT-Macular OCT.  You might consider seeing a cornea/refractive surgery specialist.
Helpful - 0
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I will definitely be seeing an MD Ophthalmologist as soon as possible! Is my fear justifiable? I don’t have any family history of Keratoconus or any family members that I know of who have it. My myopia seems relatively mild, but since I do tend to rub my eyes quite often especially when looking at a screen for to long, it definitely has me worried since KC can be caused from rubbing eyes with your knuckle.
The odds are it is not keratoconus.   Rubbing causing KC is prolonged, frequent and occurring over years not a single episode.
Thank you doctor. So I just found my prescription for my most recent glasses and I noticed the cylinder actually says -0.25 in my right eye and -0.50 in my left with an axis of 136 (right) and 12 (left), would this be considered moderate astigmatism? Also, I'm pretty sure it's increased a little bit since then.
That would be considered virtually NO  astigmatism,   KC would have number 3 to 6 diopters
So what could explain the streaking of lights? Maybe just the Astigmatism slightly worsening from rubbing my eyes? Would 3 diopters be mild Keratoconus of Astigmatism it is that the late stage?
Avatar universal
So what could explain the streaking of lights? Maybe just the Astigmatism slightly worsening from rubbing my eyes? Would 3 diopters be mild Keratoconus of Astigmatism it is that the late stage?
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
I have explained all I can over the internet and this forum.  I will have no further comments.
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177275 tn?1511755244
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