Eye Hospital begins Keratoconus treatment

Disna MUDALIGE

The National Eye Hospital has begun treating for Keratoconus for the first time. Keratoconus is an eye condition common in Sri Lanka and the South Asian region. It is a progressive eye disease in which the normally round cornea thins and begins to bulge into a cone-like shape, a Health Ministry spokesman said.

“It causes distortion and reduced vision. It can be controlled by early diagnosis and treatment. A special machine is needed to perform cornea cross linking surgery for keratoconus patients. This machine was not installed in a government hospital until recently and this service in private hospitals is very expensive,” he said.

Transport Ministry Secretary Dhammika Perera bestowed a cornea cross linking machine worth Rs 2.6 million and an eye laser machine worth Rs 7.5 million to the National Eye Hospital to mark his daughter’s birthday on March 28.