Surgery Cornea (Keratoconus)
When left untreated, keratoconus can lead to a progressive bulging and thinning of the lower cornea. In extreme cases, the cornea might rupture: this hydrops will lead to a scar and reduce visual acuity permanently. In ordert o restore useful vision, a corneal transplantation (keratoplasty) is performed, either in a perforating or in a lamellar manner, depending on the dimensions of the scar.
Up to the year 2003, corneal transplantation was the only medical option to treat keratoconus. Since the establishment of corneal cross-linking (CXL), which stabilizes the disease in its early stages, the number of corneal transplantations has reduced drastically, in certain countries for up to 50%.
