About Corneal Cross-Linking in Northern Colorado
Eye Center of Northern Colorado proudly offers clients a wide array of optical solutions for their vision needs. Our location can correct your myopia and other eye conditions with outstanding contacts, lenses, LASIK, and many other products and procedures. If you suffer from keratoconus, you need professional treatment to ensure your progressive eye disease doesn’t continue progressing and impair your vision. We offer corneal cross-linking to Northern Colorado clients with mild to moderate cases of keratoconus as a minimally invasive solution to its effect on their corneas. This eye disease can take away your vision correction options, such as LASIK. Corneal cross-linking strengthens your cornea and slows down the effect of keratoconus. There are two ways we can perform this procedure, and both are safe and highly effective methods to stall keratoconus and preserve your vision and eye health. Our eye care specialists can discuss this treatment option with you and advise you on your condition and how we can halt keratoconus.
Two Ways We Perform Corneal Cross-Linking
We can perform corneal collagen cross-linking in two ways. Whichever way you choose to receive this procedure, you need experienced professionals handling every step to ensure the best results. Eye Center of Northern Colorado’s staff has ample training and expertise in corneal cross-linking and will explain how we perform the two different methods. We’ve described each way to help you understand what each method involves:
- Epithelium-Off Corneal Cross-Linking – The eye doctor removes your cornea’s first layer, known as the epithelium. We can ensure the treatment is the most effective way to remove the epithelium, and the process is very quick and painless. After fully removing your epithelium, our eye doctor applies liquid riboflavin drop to your eye. The drops absorb into your eye, and then we activate them with ultraviolet (UV) light. You’ll sit for an extended period with the light shining in your eye. After this period, we place a special contact lens on your eye to help with healing.
- Epithelium-On Corneal Cross-Linking – Instead of removing your epithelium, our eye doctor puts liquid riboflavin eye drops directly onto your cornea’s first layer. Then, we use the UV light on your eye. You need to sit with the UV light on your eye for a longer time to ensure the liquid riboflavin completely penetrates your cornea’s surface.
Is Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking Right for Me?
People suffering from keratoconus who want to learn about corneal cross-linking to treat their condition can schedule an appointment at Eye Center of Northern Colorado to discuss if this treatment option is right for them. This procedure is effective at treating mild to moderate cases of keratoconus. IF you have a severe case of this progressive eye disease, your condition might be too advanced for you to be a candidate to receive corneal cross-linking. However, those with mild to moderate cases may receive corneal cross-linking, and the procedure might help them avoid getting a cornea transplant.
What to Expect During the Procedure
The corneal cross-linking procedure is completely safe and effective at treating progressive keratoconus, and Eye Center of Northern Colorado’s eye care specialists will walk you through each step. We start by applying numbing drops to your eye. Then we gently remove your epithelium and apply liquid riboflavin drops to your eye. We need to apply these drops for at least 30 minutes to help enable the cross-linking reaction. Depending on your cornea’s thickness, you might require an additional specialty drop. After applying the eye drops, we expose your cornea to UV light for 30 minutes and apply additional drops. Combining the drops with UV light strengthens and stiffens your cornea and halts or slows keratoconus progression. If we perform epithelium-on corneal cross-linking, we will not remove this layer from your cornea, and you will need additional time with the UV light to ensure the best results.
Why Choose Eye Center of Northern Colorado?
Eye Center of Northern Colorado has served Northern Colorado and Wyoming clients for over 50 years. We have ample training and experience with all our optical care solutions, including corneal cross-linking. Our goal is to improve your vision and eye health and enhance your quality of life with services exceeding clinical quality’s national benchmarks. We accomplish this mission of exceptional eye care by integrating research, education, and our commitment to excellence into every client’s treatment and experience. Patients can visit any of our five locations in Fort Collins, and we have satellite offices in Arvada, Wyoming, and Eastern Colorado. Our specialists support your vision goals and increase specialty eye care access throughout the area.
Contact Us to Schedule Treatment for Keratoconus
Don’t let your vision problems and eye conditions stop you from enjoying life and taking in the world around you. Eye Center of Northern Colorado covers your vision and eye health with our comprehensive solutions, including outstanding lenses and procedures. If you suffer from keratoconus and need professional treatment, we offer corneal cross-linking as a highly effective treatment option to slow or stop its progression. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and discuss your progressive eye disease and how we can help.
Why Choose Eye Center of Northern Colorado?
Eye Center of Northern Colorado has served Northern Colorado and Wyoming clients for over 50 years. We have ample training and experience with all our optical care solutions, including corneal cross-linking. Our goal is to improve your vision and eye health and enhance your quality of life with services exceeding clinical quality’s national benchmarks. We accomplish this mission of exceptional eye care by integrating research, education, and our commitment to excellence into every client’s treatment and experience. Patients can visit any of our five locations in Fort Collins, and we have satellite offices in Arvada, Wyoming, and Eastern Colorado. Our specialists support your vision goals and increase specialty eye care access throughout the area.
