During the 5th International Congress of
Corneal Cross Linking for Keratoconus in Leipzig, Germany on
December 5th, Avedro presented encouraging early clinical
results for treating keratoconus, a progressive disease of the cornea of
the eye. The procedure, known as Keraflex® KXL, is non-incisional and
reshapes the cornea without removing any tissue.
Keratoconus, or KC, is a cone-shaped protrusion and distortion of the
cornea that typically begins in the teenage years or 20’s and afflicts
millions of people around the world, severely affecting their vision. KC
is a progressive condition which can lead to cornea transplantation in
some patients.
Initial treatment results from the first group of Keraflex KXL patients,
treated by Prof. Ömer Faruk Yilmaz, MD of Beyoglu Eye Research and
Training Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey, were presented in Leipzig by
Prof. John Marshall, PhD, FRCPath, FRCOphthal (Hon), Emeritus Professor
of Ophthalmology King’s College London; and Dr. Peter Hersh, Professor
of Ophthalmology UMDNJ – New Jersey Medical School and Director, Cornea
and Laser Eye Institute – CLEI Center for Keratoconus in New Jersey.
In their presentations, Drs. Marshall and Hersh reported significant
corneal flattening and improved corneal smoothness and regularity in all
keratoconus subjects.
Dr. Hersh remarked, “Keraflex KXL is a promising new technology to
decrease the protruding cone of keratoconus and make the irregular
cornea smoother. Our early experience shows improvements in the
keratoconic cornea that we have not seen with past technologies. This
should help improve vision in patients with keratoconus, a cornea
problem that is difficult to correct, as well as improve contact lens
wear and vision with glasses. We hope that Keraflex can help avoid
cornea transplants in many patients who otherwise might have no other
alternative.”