Corneal Cross-Linking — Stopping keratoconus from progressing

At Eyecare Center of Orange County, Dr. Alexander Bonakdar has cared for patients for more than three decades. Trained at Bascom Palmer, board certified, and trusted by more than ten thousand Orange County patients since nineteen ninety one.

In keratoconus, the collagen fibres that hold the cornea's shape lose their strength. That is why the cornea gradually bulges into a cone.

Cross-linking strengthens that scaffold. Vitamin B two drops are applied, then a carefully controlled ultraviolet light creates new bonds between the fibres.

The goal is to stop the condition getting worse, and to protect the vision you have. Some eyes do flatten a little afterwards and see better. Treat that as a bonus rather than the plan.

That is why timing matters. The earlier the cornea is stabilised, the more of your vision is preserved.

So how do we catch it moving. In keratoconus the back surface of the cornea usually changes before the front does. An ordinary topographer reads the front only. Our pentacam maps the front, the back, and the thickness everywhere, which is why it can show progression before your vision tells you anything.

Ask us whether cross-linking is right for you. We map your cornea at every visit and compare it against your last one, so progression is caught early.