UV-A LIGHT in action against keratoconus

27 April 2016

Dr. Pinelli with Domenico Ielpo and his brother-in-lawKeratoconus is a pathology that markedly damages the quality of vision and tends to progress, but thanks to the treatment of transepithelial osmotic corneal cross-linking it is possible to stop its progression.

Keratoconus is a non-inflammatory condition of the cornea. The pathology consists in a progressive thinning of the corneal thickness which, in one or more points, from the normal dome shape passes to assume a cone shape.

Keratoconus then induces an alteration of the cornea curvature resulting in a myopia associated with astigmatism that is badly corrected with glasses and contact lenses.

In most cases it is a disorder that progresses until corneal transplantation is necessary. There is a non-surgical technique that allows stopping this process: the transepithelial osmotic corneal cross-linking, a non-invasive procedure able to fortify the cornea through luminous particles that interact with riboflavin to create new collagen bonds that strengthen it, slowing down its progressive alteration.

Domenicantonio Ielpo, decided to rely on Dr. Pinelli to deal with keratoconus, was subjected to an absolutely painless treatment, which in a few minutes – through the combined action of ultraviolet light (UV-A rays) and ParaCel®, a molecule a riboflavin base developed by Dr. Pinelli and commercialized by the American multinational Avedro – has improved its lateral visual capacity.