A corneal cross-linking (CXL) article published this week in Ophthalmology Times Europe explores ELZA’s new method for treating keratoconus using a customized CXL method called ELZA-PACE.
Corneal ectasias like keratoconus are progressive eye disorders where the cornea, which is normally round, thins out and begins to bulge into a cone-like shape. This distorts vision and can lead to severe visual impairment. Traditional CXL involves applying riboflavin (vitamin B2) to the cornea, and then exposing it to ultraviolet (UV) light. This process cross-links together and strengthens molecules in the cornea, which strengthens the cornea and helps to halt the progression of the disease.
However, standard CXL has limitations: it typically stops the disease from progression, but it does little to flatten the cornea or improve vision. This is where ELZA-PACE can help.
- Epithelial map-driven PTK: ELZA-PACE customized CXL uses an epithelial map to guide the removal of the epithelium specifically over the corneal cone, which maximizes cross-linking effectiveness by enhancing riboflavin penetration and UV absorption.
- Mixed epi-on/epi-off cross-linking: ELZA-PACE applies a gradient in riboflavin concentration—higher in the epi-off areas and lower in the epi-on regions, optimizing cross-linking where it’s most needed and enhancing overall treatment efficacy.
- Oxygen gradient: By removing the epithelium over the cone, ELZA-PACE increases oxygen availability, crucial for the stiffening effects of the UV-riboflavin reaction and enhancing the cross-linking gradient.
- Fluence gradient: The technique involves applying more UV energy at the cone’s tip than at the peripheral areas, creating a localized and more potent cross-linking effect that results in more significant corneal flattening.
Ophthalmology Times Europe‘s article highlights that ELZA-PACE not only improves corneal biomechanics (just like regular CXL) but by flattening the cone significantly, also enhances patients’ visual quality. The results so far indicate that patients treated with this method have better visual outcomes compared to traditional CXL treatments.
Furthermore, the article emphasizes the growing importance of personalized medicine in ophthalmology. Tailoring treatments to individual patients’ needs leads to better safety and effectiveness, particularly in complex conditions like keratoconus. ELZA-PACE represents a shift towards more individualized care, providing hope for better management of corneal diseases.
