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Keratoconus is a condition in which the cornea (the clear front surface of the eye) develops an irregular conical shape, causing your vision to blur. Several treatments are available, including glasses, contacts, corneal implants and corneal transplants, depending on the stage and severity of your condition.
Eye Institute offers an innovative and highly effective treatment called corneal collagen cross-linking. The purpose of this procedure is to halt the progression of keratoconus. In some people, the treatment may even improve vision.
What is corneal cross-linking?
The treatment uses a combination of riboflavin (vitamin B2) and UV light to form bonds between the collagen fibrils in your cornea. These bonds strengthen the cornea, halting the progression of keratoconus. It can also help flatten the central cornea in about 50% of patients, who often experience better vision as a result.
The procedure is relatively simple and highly effective. It’s also very safe, and complications are extremely unlikely.
Advantages
- Stop the progression of keratoconus.
- May improve vision.
- Avoid more invasive surgery such as corneal transplant.
- Improve contact lens tolerance
Disadvantages
- Will not fix vision or cure keratoconus.
Rare complications include:
- Infection
- Inflammation
- Temporary corneal haze
What to expect from the corneal collagen cross-linking procedure:
Before the procedure, we’ll give you local anaesthetic drops so that you won’t feel any pain.
Your surgeon will carefully and painlessly remove the surface of your cornea.
Riboflavin drops will be applied to your eye for 20 minutes.
We will then apply a measured dosage of UV light to your cornea for a further 10 minutes. Together with the riboflavin, the UV light encourages bonds between collagen fibrils to form, strengthening your cornea.
After the treatment, a bandage contact lens will be placed on your eye to help heal and make your eye more comfortable. You’ll need to keep this in place for a few days. We’ll also give you eye drops to use. Any discomfort during healing is usually mild, and should only last the first few days.
Corneal collagen cross-linking is an exciting new development in keratoconus treatment that could save your sight, especially if you receive treatment early on. Even those who we treat later find that it halts the condition’s progression, preventing the need for a corneal transplant.
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Our industry-leading experts are here to guide you every step of the way
Dr Mantell is a specialist in refractive and cataract surgery. He has restored the vision of thousands of people in his 17-year career.
Dr Ring is an expert in cornea, cataract and refractive surgery.
Dr Subbiah is a cataract, corneal and laser surgery specialist.
Dr Watson specialises in treating many aspects of the eye, including the face, eyelids, tear drainage system and the cornea.
Professor Danesh-Meyer is an international authority on glaucoma and neuro-ophthalmology and one of the most highly regarded experts in her field.
Professor Charles McGhee, a Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon for 25 years, specialises in corneal diseases and cataract surgery.
Dr Cunningham is a consultant ophthalmologist who specialises in cataract surgery and vitreoretinal surgery.
Dr Dean is a consultant ophthalmologist. His areas of expertise include cataract surgery, corneal surgery and pterygium surgery.
Dr Hadden specialises in vitreoretinal and cataract surgery, including the treatment of intraocular tumours.
Dr Narme Deva is a key opinion leader for Medical retina and Uveitis in New Zealand.
Dr Elizabeth Insull is a New Zealand and UK trained Oculoplastic and Ophthalmic surgeon.
Dr Matheos is an ophthalmologist with subspecialist training in glaucoma and anterior segment surgery, cataract surgery and pterygium surgery.
Dr Beaumont is a general ophthalmologist. He specialises in surgical ophthalmology, medical ophthalmology and urgent eye trauma care.
Dr Meyer is a specialist eye surgeon specialising in cataracts, glaucoma, and corneal diseases and surgeries.
Dr Reeves has advanced training in the diagnosis and management of glaucoma. He offers a variety of laser and surgical treatments, including minimally invasive glaucoma surgery.
Dr Perumal is a New Zealand trained ophthalmologist with advanced training in glaucoma and cataract surgery.
Dr Mantell is a specialist in refractive and cataract surgery. He has restored the vision of thousands of people in his 17-year career.
LEARN MORE
Dr Ring is an expert in cornea, cataract and refractive surgery.
LEARN MORE
Dr Subbiah is a cataract, corneal and laser surgery specialist.
LEARN MORE
Dr Watson specialises in treating many aspects of the eye, including the face, eyelids, tear drainage system and the cornea.
LEARN MORE
Professor Danesh-Meyer is an international authority on glaucoma and neuro-ophthalmology and one of the most highly regarded experts in her field.
LEARN MORE
Professor Charles McGhee, a Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon for 25 years, specialises in corneal diseases and cataract surgery.
LEARN MORE
Dr Cunningham is a consultant ophthalmologist who specialises in cataract surgery and vitreoretinal surgery.
LEARN MORE
Dr Dean is a consultant ophthalmologist. His areas of expertise include cataract surgery, corneal surgery and pterygium surgery.
LEARN MORE
Dr Hadden specialises in vitreoretinal and cataract surgery, including the treatment of intraocular tumours.
LEARN MORE
Dr Narme Deva is a key opinion leader for Medical retina and Uveitis in New Zealand.
LEARN MORE
Dr Elizabeth Insull is a New Zealand and UK trained Oculoplastic and Ophthalmic surgeon.
LEARN MORE
Dr Matheos is an ophthalmologist with subspecialist training in glaucoma and anterior segment surgery, cataract surgery and pterygium surgery.
LEARN MORE
Dr Beaumont is a general ophthalmologist. He specialises in surgical ophthalmology, medical ophthalmology and urgent eye trauma care
LEARN MORE
Dr. Meyer is a specialist eye surgeon specialising in cataracts, glaucoma, and corneal diseases and surgeries.
LEARN MORE
Dr Reeves has advanced training in the diagnosis and management of glaucoma. He offers a variety of laser and surgical treatments, including minimally invasive glaucoma surgery.
LEARN MORE
Dr Perumal is a New Zealand trained ophthalmologist with advanced training in glaucoma and cataract surgery.
LEARN MORE
Learn more about treating these corneal conditions from authoritative sources.
Keratoconus can be diagnosed through a routine eye exam. Your ophthalmologist will examine your cornea, and may measure its curvature. This helps show if there is a change in its shape. Your ophthalmologist may also map your cornea’s surface using a special computer. This detailed image shows the condition of the cornea’s surface.
In a first-ever collaboration, 4 supranational cornea societies joined forces in a complex, multistep process to develop the Global Consensus on Keratoconus and Ectatic Diseases.1 A total of 45 keratoconus (KC) specialists—9 section coordinators and 36 expert panelists nominated by the societies—focused on 3 topics: Definition/ Diagnosis, Nonsurgical Management, and Surgical Management. In the article below, 3 of the section coordinators talk about the consensus process, key findings, and next steps for clinicians and researchers involved with ectatic disorders.
In the mildest form of keratoconus, eyeglasses or soft contact lenses may help. But as the disease progresses and the cornea thins and becomes increasingly more irregular in shape, glasses and regular soft contact lens designs no longer provide adequate vision correction.
In this case, there are multiple possible treatments for progressive keratoconus.
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