Keratoconus is a change in the curvature of the cornea that induces irregular astigmatism and is often associated with myopia. The disease can be bilateral, though it is often asymmetrical, as it appears in both eyes but at different times. It is a slowly progressive disease that can take several years to develop and can stop developing at any stage.

Patients with keratoconus initially report unfocused and distorted vision. These initial symptoms may be accompanied by photophobia (sensitivity to light) and sudden flashes of light. Patients often complain about the frequency with which they are forced to change their eyewear due to the gradual loss of visual acuity. In the advanced stages of the disease, an abrupt loss of acuity may occur due to the opacification of the apex of the cone.

The Switzerland Eye Research Institute of Lugano benefits from the scientific guidance of Dr Roberto Pinelli, who has long been at the forefront of treatment and research into keratoconus. A patient diagnosed with keratoconus at one of SERI’s accurate eye examinations would be offered the latest and most effective procedures available for the correction of keratoconus: osmotic trans-epithelial corneal cross-linking.

All the proposed procedures are fast, painless, repeatable, non-invasive and can be performed bilaterally.