Javier Corrales was an undergraduate student at the University of California at Berkeley when he was diagnosed with keratoconus. While the diagnosis caused him great concern, he felt secure going to a world-class facility, even after he moved to Orange County.
For years, he traveled to UC Berkeley University Eye Clinic for his appointments. But keratoconus is a progressive condition in which the cornea thins and begins to bulge. Javier began having trouble with night vision and his contacts would pop out. It got to the point where commuting no longer was an option. As an adult-education project specialist at Saddleback College and a part-time DJ, eyesight is everything.
“I wanted to continue going to a university institution that would give me the same if not better quality of care,” says Javier. “As an educator, I know there is a huge difference in the level of care you get at a university versus elsewhere.”
His optometrists at UC Berkeley recommended the University Eye Center at Ketchum Health.
In summer 2018, Javier met with Dr. Jocelyn Ou, a Resident in SCCO’s Stein Family Cornea and Contact Lens Center. Javier underwent a series of tests and appointments to get the perfect contact lens fit. He not only experienced the same level of attention and thoroughness, he also was introduced to scleral lenses that could correct the issues he’d been experiencing.
Scleral lenses are designed to vault over the entire corneal surface and rest on the "white" of the eye. The lenses replace the irregular cornea and correct vision problems caused by keratoconus.
“With my condition, you have to go in for a lot of fittings,” says Javier. “I am so grateful that Ketchum is local. Today, I see even better than I have in a long time.”