Your corneas are an important part of your eyes, focusing about 70% of the light that enters them, with the lens refracting the remainder and handling the fine-tuning. As the outer dome of your eye, the cornea is vulnerable to certain conditions that can affect its function.
Corneal ectasias are a group of conditions that cause bulging and thinning of the cornea. Any change of corneal shape can have a dramatic effect on your vision. Keratoconus is the most common form of ectasia.
At Advanced Lasik in Midtown East, New York City, Duarte and Long Beach, California, Dr. Randa Garrana and our team offer a treatment for keratoconus and other corneal ectasias, called corneal cross-linking, or CXL. The procedure helps fortify collagen in the corneas to interrupt the thinning and bulging cycle.
At its most basic, cross-linking is a chemical process that creates bonds between polymer chains, creating a three-dimensional matrix that strengthens and stabilizes the cross-linked chains.
It can be a natural process, though in the case of CXL, it’s an engineered process that uses riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, combined with ultraviolet (UV) light to strengthen the bond between collagen chains in the cornea.
The procedure strengthens the cornea and helps reduce thinning and bulging. While CXL can’t reverse damage done by keratoconus, the treatment anchors the cornea in place while stopping further bulging because of the stronger bonds. In some cases, CXL can prevent the need for a future corneal transplant.
As with any surgical treatment, knowing what to expect can make the CXL process less stressful. Performed as an outpatient procedure in our office, there’s no special preparation for CXL, apart from arranging for assistance getting home since you won’t be able to operate a motor vehicle for several hours.
The CXL procedure itself follows these steps:
The entire procedure takes about an hour. The numbing drops will wear off in about another hour after that. Eye pain after surgery can range from mild to moderate, and Dr. Garrana will prescribe eyedrops to keep you comfortable.
Learn more about CXL and its suitability by making an appointment at your nearest Advanced Lasik office. We have one East Coast office in Midtown East, New York City, and two West Coast offices in Duarte and Long Beach, California.
