Keratoconus Screening in Uzbekistan
ELZA’s CEO, Nikki Hafezi launches a keratoconus screening initiative for children with Down syndrome in Uzbekistan, beginning in Andijan.
Mark Hillen
May 19, 2025
ELZA’s CEO, Nikki Hafezi launches a keratoconus screening initiative for children with Down syndrome in Uzbekistan, beginning in Andijan.
At EgSCRS, ELZA’s pyramid approach to keratoconus: ELZA-sub400, PACE, ECO-CAIRS, and AI-guided diagnostics was presented in detail.
As part of the 70th Anniversary celebration of the Andijan State Medical Institute (ASMI) in Uzbekistan, ELZA Institute CEO, Nikki Hafezi, MAS IP ETHZ, took part in a series of high-level academic and institutional events from April 28 to May 1, 2025.
Hafezi addressed the widespread reliance on a 1986 prevalence estimate that places keratoconus at 1 in 2,000—formally classifying it as rare. Yet as she highlighted, emerging epidemiological data tell a starkly different story. Keratoconus is an orphan disease, not a rare one.
During this visit to TOS 2025, Prof. Hafezi presented ECO-CAIRS and ELZA-PACE and highlighted the Light for Sight Foundation’s work to improve care for children with Down Syndrome.
Nikki Hafezi-Kristoffersen, MAS IP ETHZ, CEO of the ELZA Institute and executive at the MESCA Foundation, recently visited the Bukhara State Medical Institute (BSMI).
Our latest review on corneal cross-linking (CXL), published in Progress in Retinal and Eye Research, explores its evolution, advanced protocols like ELZA-PACE, and clinical applications.
From corneal cross-linking technology to sustainable clinical models, Nikki Kristoffersen-Hafezi discusses how evidence-based innovation and education can expand access to modern ophthalmic care.
During Swiss Days 2024 in Tashkent, the ELZA Institute’s CEO, Nikki L. Hafezi, led a keratoconus screening initiative that identified critical cases and strengthened Swiss-Uzbek collaborations. The event, featured on Zo’r TV, highlights ELZA’s global healthcare impact.
A significant part of the symposium was dedicated to showcasing collaborative initiatives between Switzerland and Uzbekistan, particularly in healthcare. One example was a keratoconus screening initiative led by Ms. Nikki Hafezi, ELZA’s CEO, and a graduate of ETH Zürich and the University of Bern. This project, undertaken with local NGOs, provided vision screenings to 117 families, identifying three children with keratoconus. These children received further medical consultations and guidance for managing the condition.
