Category: Keratoconus

CLEI’s dedication to keratoconus patients is unparalleled. With decades of experience spent treating keratoconus patients, we understand that this progressive condition presents some unique challenges for diagnosis and treatment. Without early diagnosis and effective treatment, a patient’s quality of life can be severely impacted. That’s why we founded the first dedicated subspecialty center for keratoconus […]

What is Keratoconus? Keratoconus is a progressive eye disease. With keratoconus, the cornea thins and begins to bulge. Over time, the natural shape of the cornea becomes more and more distorted, causing vision-related symptoms such as halos and glare, flares, smears, streaking, multiple images, overlapping images, and starbursts.  How Does Keratoconus Impact Daily Life? As […]

Keratoconus is a surprisingly common disease that results in an irregular cornea shape. While a normal cornea has an evenly rounded dome shape, a cornea affected by keratoconus becomes steeper and cone-like in shape. The conical shape distorts light and creates multiple focal points on the retina. Distorted light leads to distorted vision, with most […]

The CLEI Center for Keratoconus is world-renowned for innovating and improving upon corneal surgical techniques. One such technique is corneal tissue addition keratoplasty (CTAK). Unlike treatments that simply focus on addressing refractive errors, CTAK was envisioned as a procedure that could address the underlying structural irregularities associated with keratoconus. In 2016, clinical trials for this […]

What is Corneal Crosslinking? Collagen is a crucial protein found throughout our bodies, providing strength and support to various tissues, including corneal tissue. However, for patients with keratoconus, the collagen fibers in the cornea weaken and become susceptible to deformation. The compromised corneal tissue eventually loses its symmetrical dome shape, bulging outwards and resulting in […]

Understanding Keratoconus and the Need for Surgical Intervention Keratoconus is a progressive eye condition where the cornea, the clear front part of the eye, thins and bulges into a cone-like shape. This irregular shape can cause significant vision problems, including blurred and distorted vision, sensitivity to light and glare, and difficulty driving at night. While […]

Corneal crosslinking (CXL) is a procedure designed to strengthen the cornea, the clear front part of your eye. It’s used to treat conditions like keratoconus and post refractive surgery corneal ectasia. Both are progressive eye diseases that can cause your cornea to thin and bulge. While CXL is a safe and effective procedure, it’s important […]

Keratoconus is a progressive eye condition affecting corneal shape. Keratoconus is primarily caused by a focal weakness in the collagen that makes up the cornea. This weakness causes the cornea to thin and bulge into a cone-like shape. It’s similar to a weak spot on a soccer ball or basketball. The weak point stretches and […]

When Are Scleral Lenses The Best Option for Keratoconus? Scleral lenses have become a primary contact lens option for keratoconus. They can be used for mild to moderate cases but are especially effective when keratoconus is advanced or other contact lenses fail. Scleral lenses offer unique advantages over other keratoconus contact lens options. Because they […]

While all optometrists and ophthalmologists are licensed to prescribe contact lenses, not all possess the specialized skills and experience needed to create optimal lenses, particularly for those with keratoconus. Optometric and ophthalmologic programs typically provide limited education on specialized medical contact lenses, focusing primarily on basic principles and disposable soft lenses. The expectation is that […]