Keratoconus
Keratoconus is an eye disease characterized by a biomechanical weakening of the cornea, the outermost layer of the globe. Keratoconus usually starts in puberty and often goes undetected in its early stages. Left untreated, keratoconus will lead to an increase in astigmatism, an abnormal bulging of the cornea, and progressive corneal thinning with distorted vision. At later stages, glasses and contact lenses cannot correct for the decrease in vision. Today, keratoconus represents a leading cause of severe visual impairment and blindness among children and adolescents worldwide. The only known therapy to stop the progression of keratoconus is corneal cross-linking (CXL).
