Horizon Eye Care Is First In Charlotte to Perform Cross-linking Treatment for Keratoconus

On Friday, February 10, 2017, Dr. Ravi Patel completed the first corneal cross-linking treatment in the Charlotte area. Avedro’s therapeutic system can help slow down or halt progressive keratoconus and corneal ectasia, and may eliminate the need  for a corneal transplant.

There are two additional corneal specialists at Horizon – Drs. Joseph Biber and Gerald Rosen – who are qualified to perform Avedro’s corneal cross-linking procedure.

About Keratoconus

Keratoconus is a progressive thinning and distortion of the cornea. It is the most common corneal dystrophy in the US, affecting approximately one in every 2,000 Americans or approximately 170,000 people in the US. Keratoconus causes the cornea to bulge from its normal symmetric domelike smooth optical shape. This creates an abnormal curvature that changes the cornea’s optics, producing blurred and distorted vision that is difficult to correct with spectacle lenses. This progressive thinning and weakening can result in significant visual loss and may lead to corneal transplants.

About Corneal Ectasia

Corneal ectasia, a non-inflammatory condition marked by progressive corneal steepening and thinning, is a rare but serious complication of vision correction procedures. The condition can begin within a week of surgery or after several years and is associated with worsening best-uncorrected visual acuity, an increase in ocular aberrations, and decreasing best-corrected distance visual acuity.

About Avedro

Avedro is a privately-held pharmaceutical and medical device company and is the world leader in corneal remodeling. Avedro’s Photrexa Viscous, Photrexa and KXL products are approved for sale in the United States for the treatment of progressive keratoconus and corneal ectasia following refractive surgery. Outside of the United States Avedro is developing the PiXL procedure, the next generation in refractive correction, as a non-invasive approach to vision improvement.

To determine if you are a candidate for this minimally invasive, outpatient procedure ask your Horizon Eye Care physician or schedule a consultation. Use our Patient Portal or call 704-365-0555 Monday – Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.