TG-PRK + CXL
Topoguided-PRK and Crosslinking
In some patients the disease may have already progressed to the point that useful vision has been lost. Because collagen cross linking alone cannot be relied upon to improve vision, many efforts have been directed towards finding techniques that can meet this need, rehabilitating vision once the disease has been stabilised. One such technique is topoguided PRK (TG-PRK). TG-PRK employs a laser to restore the cornea from a rugby ball back into a soccer ball shape, the cornea is then cross linked to “lock in” this profile.
A specific laser infrastructure and special software is needed for this treatment. This is why only a few centers in the world are able to provide this technique. The cornea is measured with different topographers and refraction is measured by a specialised optometrist. The data are discussed with physicist of the laser company. With all that information, a treatment plan is established and risk/benefit ratio is discussed with the patient.
Dr. Lange trained in his technique with Dr. David Lin and Dr. Simon Holland at the Pacific Laser Eye Center (PLEC) in Vancouver, Canada, a pioneering center in this work. At PLEC there is experience in treating nearly 1000 keratoconic eyes over almost ten years in TG-PRK. This has created a huge database from which future treatments can be calculated with greater accuracy. By improving the corneal shape, best corrected vision will increase in most cases. Depending on the severity of your disease the goal of TG-PRK may be to allow a better contact lens fit, a transition from contact lenses back into glasses, or remove the need for glasses and contact lenses altogether.