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Thermokeratoplasty now a viable treatment option in light of cross-linking
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NEW YORK — Thermokeratoplasty as a treatment for myopia and hyperopia is gaining new life as a result of collagen cross-linking, according to a presenter here.
"Ophthalmologists have been reshaping the cornea with heat for over 100 years, but it was never very successful because all these treatments eventually regress," Michael B. Raizman, MD, said at OSN New York 2010. "All that is changing now with the advent of collagen cross-linking."
Dr. Raizman presented data regarding the use of Keraflex KXL (Avedro) for performing conductive keratoplasty and for the treatment of keratoconus.
"For CK, the Keraflex procedure shrank the collagen and actually flattened the central cornea, thereby correcting myopia. The key to making this work is collagen cross-linking," Dr. Raizman said. "This can lock in the changes we make thermally in the stroma, giving a prolonged result."
The treatment is performed by applying an electrode on the surface of the cornea. Microwave energy is then delivered, raising the temperature of the targeted region to form a toroidal lesion. The entire process takes less than a second, according to Dr. Raizman.
Dr. Raizman was most excited about the use of this technique for the treatment of keratoconus, as it will not only help to stabilize the cornea but also improve the patient's vision. In each of the cases presented, patients with keratoconus had significant improvement of their vision, according to Dr. Raizman.
"[Overall], microwave treatment may give predictable treatment of myopia, but I especially encourage this treatment in keratoconus eyes," Dr. Raizman said. "Along with collagen cross-linking, we may be entering a revolution of medicine for our patients with keratoconus."