CORNEAL SERVICES

A New Division of Warrens Eye Care Centre:

Corneal Services Barbados (CSB) is a new division of Warrens Eye Care Centre, specializing in corneal treatments and servicing Barbados and the wider Caribbean. We are pleased to announce the addition of a number of surgical services to the traditional corneal transplants (lamellar and penetrating) and amniotic membrane these new services include:

Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking
Microkeratome-assisted keratoplasty

CORNEAL CROSS-LINKING

Cross-linking (CXL) of the cornea is a new curative approach to increase the mechanical stability of corneal tissue. The aim of this treatment is to create additional chemical bonds inside the corneal stroma by means of a highly localized photopolymerization.

The indications for cross-linking are corneal ectatic disorders such as keratoconus and pellucid marginal degeneration, iatrogenic keratectasia after refractive lamellar surgery, and corneal melting that is not responding to conventional therapy

SAFETY

Corneal cross-linking (CXL) is considered to be a safe procedure, provided

the recommended safeguards are observed.

Minimum corneal thickness has to be 400 µ after removal of the epithelium. This is intended to protect the corneal endothelium from UV-A radiation. A 400 µ cornea soaked with riboflavin absorbs about 95% of the total radiation so that only a small amount reaches the endothelium.

Up until today, no sight-threatening side effects have been reported.