Can this checker diagnose keratoconus?

No — only corneal topography or tomography can. The checker weighs established risk factors to tell you how strongly we’d recommend getting mapped.

What are the earliest signs?

Frequent prescription changes, new or growing astigmatism, ghosting and shadowed edges that glasses never quite fix, and worsening night glare — often starting in the teens or twenties.

Is keratoconus genetic?

Partly. Family history raises risk significantly, and it travels with atopy: allergies, eczema, asthma. Genes make the cornea susceptible; chronic eye rubbing tends to trigger the disease.

Does eye rubbing really cause it?

It’s the most consistent modifiable factor. Hard, habitual rubbing mechanically stresses a cornea that may already be vulnerable. Stopping is part of every treatment plan we write.

What happens at a corneal evaluation?

Topography maps the corneal surface, tomography measures its thickness profile, and we examine the cornea at the slit lamp. You leave with an answer — and if it’s keratoconus, a plan the same day.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brandon Cohenmehr, OD Last reviewed October 24, 2026

The keratoconus risk checker.

Six questions that flag whether your cornea deserves a map.

Keratoconus hides in plain sight: early on, vision corrects well and a routine exam can look normal while the cornea quietly steepens. The risk factors are well established — this checker weighs yours.

Six risk factors

Check your risk.

01Why early matters

Found early, keratoconus is manageable. Found late, it’s a harder road.

Progression is fastest in the teens and twenties, which is exactly when exams get skipped. A corneal topography takes minutes, doesn’t touch the eye, and turns “maybe” into a map. If keratoconus is present, early cross-linking can stop progression while vision is still easily corrected.

01
The map: Topography and tomography chart the cornea’s shape; keratoconus is obvious on a map years before a standard exam flags it.
02
The habits: Eye rubbing is the one modifiable risk factor. Whatever else you do, stop rubbing.
03
The family link: First-degree relatives of keratoconus patients carry meaningfully higher risk, so siblings and children of patients should be mapped.
04
The treatment: Cross-linking halts progression; free-form scleral lenses restore the vision. Both work best started early.

Common questions

Risk, answered.

Anything else, call the office at 310-828-2010.

No — only corneal topography or tomography can. The checker weighs established risk factors to tell you how strongly we’d recommend getting mapped.
Frequent prescription changes, new or growing astigmatism, ghosting and shadowed edges that glasses never quite fix, and worsening night glare — often starting in the teens or twenties.
Partly. Family history raises risk significantly, and it travels with atopy: allergies, eczema, asthma. Genes make the cornea susceptible; chronic eye rubbing tends to trigger the disease.
It’s the most consistent modifiable factor. Hard, habitual rubbing mechanically stresses a cornea that may already be vulnerable. Stopping is part of every treatment plan we write.
Topography maps the corneal surface, tomography measures its thickness profile, and we examine the cornea at the slit lamp. You leave with an answer — and if it’s keratoconus, a plan the same day.

Go deeper

From risk to a real answer.

A topography appointment with our optometrists in Los Angeles answers the question this checker can only raise — and if keratoconus is there, you’re already in the practice that fits the most complex corneas in California.

Book a Corneal Evaluation Or call 310-828-2010