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KERATOCONUS
Keratoconus is mostly bilateral but can also be unilateral condition in which the black portion of eye becomes like a cone. this also involves thinning and protrusion of the black portion when there is progression sometimes leading to even disruption of the layers of the blackportion. The prevalance of keratoconus is 2.3% in India. Both the genders are equally affected. The magnitude of keratoconus varies. Usually it starts at adolescent age and progress over a period of next 10 to 20 years .
Due to conical shape of the black portion, patients with #keratoconus have significant visual issues. Often Keratoconic patient suffers from Poor Vision, Glare, Haloes, Double vision, Star Burst, Reduced Contrast, Headache and etc,. In most keratoconus the vision cannot be correccted with regular Spectacle Lenses or Contact Lenses.
COLLAGEN CROSS LINKING
#CollagenCrossLinking also called as # C3R or# CXL is a procedure you cornea specialist may advise if there is a progression of #Keratoconus. Keratoconic corneas have distorted arrangement of corneal collagen fibrills. In this Procedure, ultraviolet rays are used to activate Riboflavin drops which are instilled in eyes frequently. This results in cross linking of covalent bonds between these fibrills and thereby increase the biomechanical strength of cornea by 300%
Collagen cross linking is not advised for every #Keratoconus patient. When an aldolescent is affected, #C3R is advised even without checking for progression as mostly the cone is expected to progress with age. But when a patient is diagnosed to have #keratoconus at later age and when your doctor feels the cone is not progressing, he may advise #cornealtopograpy (a scan used to see the changes in shape, thickness, curvature, crest and trough of the black portion) within prescribed time frame. If there is no progression or when the cornea is too steep or thin for the procedure to be done the doctor may not necessarily advice this procedure.
Its highly important to stick with your doctor's advice regarding this procedure. If your doctor advises #Collagen Cross Linking, please go for it as this procedure haults the progression of #Keratoconus. Apart from biochemical strengthening and little bit flattening of the black portion, #C3R doesnt correct the vision problems encountered by a #keratoconus patient. The need of Specialty Lenses like #Rosek / #Scleral lens is needed to correct the vision related problems in most of the patients, post C3R after your cornea consultant gives clearance to get the fitting done.