Meet Our Keratoconus Specialist in Raleigh, North Carolina
From the Doctor: I would like to personally thank you for visiting our website and giving me the opportunity to tell you about myself, fusion eye care, and our vision.
I have gladly called Raleigh home for the past 25 years. I graduated from North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. I attended Salus University (formerly known as Pennsylvania College of Optometry) in a small suburban town outside of Philadelphia. I chose the field of optometry for a number of reasons including caring for the bodies most cherished organ (the eyes) and peoples most precious sense (sight). During my time in school, I completed externships at the Queens VA Hospital and the Brooklyn VA Hospital. It was during my time at these facilities that I developed a strong understanding of Ocular Disease, therefore, realized the importance of comprehensive eye care. After graduating in 2007, I did not hesitate returning home to Raleigh, NC where I have been in practice ever since. 
In 2014, my wife and I decided to follow our dreams of opening a private practice in Raleigh, NC where we could serve the local community with the highest quality of care from our respective professions.
Our practice is truly unique because we have integrated two necessary services, Eye Care & Dental Care, into one convenient location. This integration would lead us to fittingly name our practices Fusion Eye Care & Fusion Dental Care. Our mission is to provide the highest standard of comprehensive care, using the latest technology, in an upbeat, family-oriented environment. In today’s age, I understand that patients have many options once they receive their prescription to purchase glasses and contact lenses online or at discount stores. In an effort to serve my patient’s with the highest standard of care, I find it necessary to not only provide a comprehensive examination but to also provide the necessary devices to meet their needs of clear vision. At Fusion, I have created a new practice model that is “taking the business out of eye care.” Our success is primarily based on the service we provide and less on the products we sell. In my practice, I complete the majority of the examination with little reliance on technicians and assistants. I attempt to answer every patients question(s) to the best of my ability, effectively communicate with my patients primary care physicians, and refer to only the best surgeons in the area when necessary.
As practice owners of Fusion Dental Care and Fusion Eye Care, my wife and I make ourselves available to address questions or concerns that you may have. If you are currently a patient of ours, we thank you for making our vision of eye and dental care a huge success.
If you are new to the area or would simply like to find a new eye doctor or dentist, we would love for you to stop by so that we may show you our office and answer any questions.
Your Optometrist, Kiarash Bassiri, OD
Our Doctor Can Diagnosis and Treat Keratoconus
Your cornea is the transparent, outer lens of your eye, and it typically has a smooth dome shape. Keratoconus describes a condition in which the corneal structure isn’t strong enough to maintain a healthy ball shape.
Meet with our Keratoconus Specialist in Raleigh, North Carolina to define your eye's condition and ways for treatment.
As a result, the cornea bulges outward into more of a cone. Our professional optometric team at our eye care clinic is knowledgeable about how to diagnose and treat keratoconus.
Keratoconus is rare, with an estimated one person out of every 2,000 having the condition. It generally appears in the teenage years and can progress slowly or rapidly.
Keratoconus also runs in families, so if you or your children are at risk, it’s advised to contact us for a thorough eye exam.
Causes of Keratoconus
Your cornea is held in place by very small collagen fibers. When they are weakened and too fragile, they aren’t able to preserve the round shape of your cornea.
A reduction in the protective antioxidants of your cornea, which act to destroy damaging by-products made naturally by corneal cells, is what causes keratoconus.
In addition to genetics, some types of eye injuries may increase your chance of being diagnosed with keratoconus.
Specific ocular diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa, vernal keratoconjunctivitis and retinopathy of prematurity, as well as some systemic conditions (Down syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Leber's congenital amaurosis and osteogenesis imperfecta) are also associated with this corneal abnormality.
Our Keratoconus Specialist in Raleigh, North Carolina has years of experience identifying the various levels of keratoconus and other corneal conditions.
Symptoms of Keratoconus
When the shape of your cornea begins to bulge, it alters your eyesight in two different ways. As the cone shape forms, your normally smooth corneal surface becomes wavy, called irregular astigmatism. Additionally, as your cornea expands, vision becomes increasingly nearsighted. Focusing becomes impossible without eyeglasses or contact lenses. Usually, the problems begin in one eye and develop later in the other eye too.
Typically, patient’s eyeglass prescription will change often as the vision becomes worse and contact lenses will be difficult to wear due to discomfort and improper fit.
When keratoconus become more severe (which usually takes a long time however on occasion can happen rather quickly), the cornea can begin to swell and form scar tissue. This scar tissue can result in even further visual distortion and blurred vision.
Altogether, these changes can create the following symptoms:
- Blurred vision
- Streaking of lights
- Halos around bright lights at night; glare
- Sudden change of vision in only one eye
- Objects appear distorted, both near and distant
- Double vision from just one eye
- Triple ghost images
How We Diagnose Keratoconus
Our eye doctors will inspect carefully for the signs of keratoconus during your comprehensive eye exam. It’s critical to inform us of any symptoms that you’ve been experiencing. To diagnose the condition, we’ll measure the shape of your cornea. Computerized Corneal Topography is used for this procedure, which takes a picture of your cornea and analyzes it instantly.