Power that keeps changing
Glasses needing frequent, larger changes, with a lot of cylinder (astigmatism) that keeps shifting.
Keratoconus clinic · Himayat Nagar
Keratoconus: assessment, cross-linking and contact lens fitting
Keratoconus makes the cornea thin and bulge, so vision blurs and keeps changing. Corneal cross-linking (C3R) is intended to slow or stop progression, and lenses fitted to your eye can improve vision. The condition is measured, treated, and monitored over time.
What it is
A cornea that bulges into a cone.
Normally the cornea is a smooth dome. In keratoconus it thins and bulges into an irregular cone, so light no longer focuses cleanly and vision blurs, ghosts, and keeps changing. It often runs in families and is made worse by eye rubbing. Dr. H. Siva Mohan Reddy oversees the treatment plan.
When to check
Signs it could be keratoconus.
These are reasons to get your cornea mapped, especially in the teens and twenties, or if it runs in your family. The earlier it is found, the more vision cross-linking can protect.
Our keratoconus clinic
Detection, cross-linking, and lens fitting.
The four steps below are one connected programme.
After cross-linking
The right lens for your cornea, found by trial.
There is no single "keratoconus lens", the right one is whichever sits comfortably and gives you the sharpest vision on your own eye. About a month after C3R, once the cornea has settled, our lens specialists trial the options and prescribe what suits you. We fit all four.
Patient guide
Keratoconus and cross-linking: what to know before you decide.
How keratoconus is confirmed, what corneal cross-linking (C3R) involves, and what recovery is like.
Who it is for
- Teenagers and young adults whose power, especially astigmatism, keeps changing.
- People whose vision is not sharp even with new glasses.
- Cross-linking is considered when corneal maps taken over time show the keratoconus is progressing.
What happens, step by step
- Corneal mapping.Topography and tomography confirm keratoconus and record its stage.
- Repeat mapping.Maps are repeated at intervals and compared, to show whether the cornea is stable or progressing.
- Cross-linking, if advised.Under numbing drops, riboflavin (vitamin B2) drops are applied to the cornea and activated with a measured dose of UV light. The surgeon tells you which method is planned for your eye.
- Bandage lens.A soft bandage contact lens is placed at the end and removed at a review once the surface has healed.
- Lens fitting.Specialty contact lenses are fitted, or refitted, after the cornea has settled.
Which tests are done, and why
- Corneal topography and tomography.Maps the curve of the front and back of the cornea. This is how keratoconus is detected and staged.
- Corneal thickness.The cornea thins in keratoconus, and its thickness decides whether and how cross-linking can be done.
- Refraction.Shows the vision possible with glasses, and so whether contact lenses are needed.
What you feel
- Corneal mapping is painless. You look at a target for a few seconds and nothing touches the eye.
- During cross-linking the eye is numbed and you look towards a light.
- When the surface layer of the cornea is removed for the procedure, the first two to three days afterwards usually bring pain, watering and sensitivity to light. Pain relief is prescribed.
Recovery after cross-linking
- First week.The surface heals under the bandage lens. Use the drops as written and do not rub the eye.
- First month.Vision is often more blurred than before the procedure, and it fluctuates.
- One to three months.Vision settles gradually. Contact lens fitting or refitting is planned when the surgeon finds the cornea stable.
- Long term.Corneal maps are repeated at intervals to confirm the cornea is stable.
Risks and limits
- Risks of cross-linking include infection of the cornea, which is uncommon but serious.
- Haze in the cornea, which usually fades over months.
- Slow healing of the surface.
- Rarely, scarring or some loss of sharpness of vision.
- A small proportion of eyes continue to progress after cross-linking and may need it again.
- Cross-linking is intended to stabilise the cornea. It does not remove the need for glasses or contact lenses.
The surgeon explains these, and how likely each is for your eye, before you consent.
What you are told before you consent
- What the examination and measurements show, in plain language.
- The options for your eye, including waiting or not having the procedure.
- What the procedure is expected to do, and what it cannot do.
- The risks that apply to your eye in particular.
- A written estimate, and whether your insurance policy is likely to apply.
- You do not need to decide on the day of the consultation. Nothing is scheduled without your signed consent.
What affects the cost
- Whether one or both eyes are treated.
- The type of contact lens fitted, and the number of fitting visits needed.
- The number of follow-up corneal maps.
A written estimate is given after the consultation, once your eyes have been examined.
What to bring
- All earlier prescriptions and corneal maps. Comparing them over time shows whether the keratoconus is progressing.
- Your current contact lenses. The team tells you how long to leave them out before mapping.
- Details of any allergy or eye rubbing, and any family member with keratoconus.
- Someone to accompany you on the day of cross-linking.
How care is organised here
Assessment, procedure and follow-up as one plan.
Your assessment, your keratoconus care and follow-up visits are planned together, so the findings from your consultation carry through to the procedure and the reviews afterwards.
1
ConsultationExamination, measurements and time for your questions.
2
ProcedurePlanned from the measurements taken at your consultation.
3
Follow-upReview visits at set intervals, with written instructions.
At your consultation
What is discussed before any procedure.
- You meet the operating surgeon before the day of the procedure.
- The lens or treatment plan is discussed in relation to your eye and your daily needs.
- Risks, benefits and alternatives are explained, and results vary from person to person.
- You are told whom to contact after the procedure and when your reviews are due.
Dr. P. Siva Reddy Eye Hospital
Himayat Nagar, Hyderabad. Established 1975.
Surgeon: Dr. H. Siva Mohan Reddy, MBBS, DO, DNB (Ophthalmology). Registered with the Telangana State Medical Council, Reg. No. 57104.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Can keratoconus be cured or reversed?
The bulge that has already formed in the cornea cannot be reversed. Corneal cross-linking (C3R) is intended to slow or stop progression, and specialty contact lenses can improve vision. A small proportion of eyes continue to progress after cross-linking and are monitored for that.
What is C3R / corneal collagen cross-linking?
It is a treatment intended to slow or stop the progression of keratoconus. We apply riboflavin (vitamin B2) drops to the cornea and activate them with a controlled UV light. This strengthens the natural collagen bonds in the cornea, stiffening it, with the aim of stopping further bulging. It is a stabilising treatment; it is not, on its own, a way to sharpen vision, which is what lenses are for.
Will I need a corneal transplant?
A transplant is considered only in advanced keratoconus. The aim of early detection and cross-linking is to stabilise the cornea before that stage. Some eyes continue to progress despite treatment, which is why monitoring continues.
Can glasses fix keratoconus, or do I need special contact lenses?
In the early stages glasses may still give reasonable vision. As the cornea becomes more irregular, glasses can no longer focus it cleanly, and that is where specialty contact lenses come in. We fit all four keratoconus lens types, rigid gas-permeable (RGP), scleral, hybrid, and custom soft, and any of them can be fitted here. About a month after cross-linking, the options are trialled on your eye and the one that gives you the clearest and most comfortable vision is prescribed.
At what age does keratoconus appear, and who gets it?
It usually begins in the teens or twenties and can keep changing into the thirties. Frequent eye rubbing, allergies, and a family history all raise the risk. Early detection matters most here, because cross-linking is more useful when it is done before the cornea has bulged too far.
Does rubbing my eyes make it worse?
Yes. Vigorous eye rubbing is strongly linked to keratoconus progressing, often driven by allergy. Part of caring for your eyes is helping you stop the rubbing and treating any allergy behind it, alongside the cross-linking itself.
What does keratoconus treatment cost?
It depends on what your eyes actually need, the scans, whether cross-linking is required, and which lenses suit you, all of which the doctor explains at your assessment. A written estimate is given after the consultation. You can contact the hospital on WhatsApp or by phone.
How do I book, and what should I bring?
Book on WhatsApp or by phone. Bring any previous eye reports, corneal scans, glasses, and contact lenses you have, so we can see how your cornea has changed over time.
Medically reviewed by Dr. H. Siva Mohan Reddy, MBBS, DO, DNB (Ophthalmology). Registered with the Telangana State Medical Council, Reg. No. 57104. Last reviewed 25 June 2026.
Appointments and contact
You can reach Dr. P. Siva Reddy Eye Hospital on WhatsApp or by phone during OPD hours.
OPD hours: Monday to Saturday, 10 AM to 2 PM and 4:30 PM to 7 PM. Closed on Sunday.