AFPAM-48-132 Updated-6/99 By ACS CONDITION: KERATOCONUS I. Overview. Keratoconus is a congenital noninflammatory ecstatic corneal dystrophy usually found bilaterally. However, it commonly is expressed asymmetrically. It may rarely affect one side only. Keratoconus of any degree , including forme fruste, is disqualifying for accession from any source and for all Flying Classes as per IAS AFI 48-123. The process appears to be familial in nature but no specific pattern of inheritance has been identified. Symptoms usually start in the teenage years and may either stabilize, usually over one or two decades, or progress at an unpredictable rate, often to the point of requiring frequent changes in contact lenses or spectacles and eventually keratoplasty (corneal transplant). The onset of the process is usually manifested by quality of vision changes. Increasing astigmatism, failure to correct visually with spectacles, and distorted images are typical signs and symptoms. Abnormal corneal topography (CT) can be diagnostic and usually precedes all other signs or symptoms. However, suspicious CT alone is not disqualifying. | |
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