Keratoconus causes cornea thinning and bulging — and eventually, blurry or distorted vision. Fortunately, corneal cross-linking (CXL) can stabilize your corneas and improve your quality of life.
At Bochner Eye Institute in Toronto, ON, our renowned keratoconus experts, led by medical director Dr. Raymond Stein, are known for their innovative approaches to vision preservation. We opened the first keratoconus clinic in Canada in 2008.
CXL is one of the most effective, non-invasive treatments we offer today, and it’s changing the lives of people with keratoconus every day.
Read on to learn more about CXL and how it can stabilize the cornea, slow the progression of keratoconus, and improve overall vision.
Understanding Corneal Cross-Linking
People with keratoconus have weak corneas, causing them to steepen, creating a cone shape. This, in turn, can cause problems like myopia (nearsightedness) and astigmatism. Many people with keratoconus also struggle to wear contact lenses comfortably.
CXL is a treatment designed to strengthen the collagen fibers in the cornea by creating additional “cross-links” between the fibers. We achieve this goal by using a brush to gently remove corneal surface cells, and then placing riboflavin (vitamin B2) drops in the cornea. Finally, we activate the riboflavin with a UV-A light.
The process enhances the collagen fibers, improving corneal stiffness. This, in turn, helps decrease keratoconus bulging and helps prevent vision distortion.
Benefits of Corneal Crosslinking
Before the advent of corneal crosslinking, about 1 in 10 people with keratoconus needed a full-thickness corneal transplant. Today, most of those patients can avoid a transplant thanks to CXL.
At Bochner Eye Institute, we have had great success with corneal crosslinking and are widely regarded as go-to experts for CXL. When performed by our trusted experts, CXL offers many benefits.
- Strengthening the Cornea
- Preventing Further Thinning
- Improving Vision Stability
- Improving Contact Lens Comfort
- Non-Invasive
- High Success Rate: 98% success rate in stabilizing corneas
Although CXL doesn’t restore the cornea to full thickness, it significantly slows the progression of keratoconus. If patients have keratoconus-related refractive errors, it can potentially even improve vision.
CXL might not be adequate for all patients, however. Our experienced ophthalmologists can explain all the treatment options, including topographically guided PRK, intrastromal corneal ring segments, and phakic implants.
We always strive to give our patients the most effective solutions with the lowest risk of complications and the highest chance of healthy vision for the long term. Our wide-ranging expertise in keratoconus treatment allows us to do exactly that.
Keratoconus Help From the Experts in Toronto, ON
At Bochner Eye Institute, our unique approach and years of experience in treating keratoconus make us leaders in this field, and we’re committed to helping you maintain your vision for years to come. Call 416-960-2020 in Toronto to schedule your consultation today.